Simple Dumplings, Potstickers, etc.

• This is good for a Sunday Evening light dinner.  This recipe is geared to 10-20 or so dumplings.
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  Wrappers
• Use commercial potsticker, dumpling, won ton wrappers or eggroll wrappers.  You can make your own… but why?  Buy Gyoza wrappers; they are the best.
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  Stuffing / Filling
  
• 1/2 C Shredded Napa cabbage
  • Toss with 1/4 tsp salt and put in a bowl for 15 minutes, then rinse well
• 3 oz protein:  Leftover meatloaf, hamburger, stir fry, Reuben, even chopped sausage, etc.
• 2 TBL chopped scallion
• 2 TBL chopped red bell pepper
• 1 egg – lightly beaten
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 tsp rice wine
• 2 tsp Hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• scant salt
• scant Grandpa’s Thunder Powder

Step by Step

1. Prepare egg wash – 1 egg and 1 TBL water – Mix and set aside
2. Pulse proteins and cabbage together three times in a food processor to mix, or just mix with a fork
3. Squeeze all the excess water from your cabbage mixture and put it into the food processor – don’t run yet
4. Add soy, toasted sesame oil, butter, Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, Hoisin, grated ginger, salt, Thunder Powder
5. Pulse only 6 times in food processor – You want them mixed, but not pulverized
6. Chop 1 scallion into 1/4 inch pieces and add to food processor
7. Now you can pulse them together 2 more times
8. Ball up 1-2 tsp of filling
9. Place filling in the center of the ball and egg wash the border
10. Bring opposite sides together and pinch to secure – leaving the ends open
11. Bring one side over top of the hole and secure to the middle of the other side.
12. Do that with the other end as well.  Shape into a crescent.  This will create the traditional dumpling shape.
13. Or heck… just fold them and press lightly with a fork to seal
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    NOTE:  These balls freeze really well.   Just be sure to thaw them out overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.  You can also complete the dumplings and freeze them after assembly.  In that case, you will cook them from frozen – just add one extra minute in the skillet.
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    WHEN YOU ARE READY TO COOK
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    TRADITIONAL
14. Spread 1 TBL oil and 1 TBL butter around on the bottom of a cold large skillet – one with a lid
15. Nest the dumplings (pot stickers) around the pan and turn the heat to medium.  Once that you start to hear or see a sizzle, start timing four minutes.
16. After four minutes, add 1/2 C chicken stock to the skillet, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to medium-low heat.
17. Simmer/steam for 4 minutes.
18. Remove lid, turn heat back to medium, and let the rest of the water evaporate – about 1-3 minutes.
19. Carefully remove from the pan, and serve with the browned side up.
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    ALTERNATIVE
14. Spread 1 TBL oil and 1 TBL butter around on the bottom of a cold large skillet 
15. Turn heat to medium
16. After butter has melted, put the dumplings into the pan and cook for 40-60 seconds per side
17. Keep flipping until they start to brown
18. Serve with grated parm and some EVOO

Here are some dipping sauce options:

• Soy sauce (chk ingredients: No Hydrolyzed Vegetable Proteins)
• Black vinegar
• Sichuan chili oil

Here are a couple of GrandpaCooks recipes that you can use for your dipping sauce.

• Peanut Dipping Sauce
• Teriyaki Dipping Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce
• Sweet and Tart Dipping Sauce
• Vietnamese Fish Sauce
• There are also some good commercial dipping sauces that you can use right out of the bottle with links to buy them from Amazon:
  • • Orange Dipping Sauce
    • Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce
    • Hoisin Sauce

A Mexican Empanada is essentially a potsticker.