Potstickers

Second dish with Napa, using other ingredients mentioned in yesterday’s post.

Trader Joe’s used to have a potsticker that was similar to this.  The ones that I’ve seen lately are different, though good on their own.  I like these better.

The easier way to make these is with pre-made gyoza wrappers, which I usually buy at Super 88, but I’ve found in the freezer section of my local Asian food store.  If you can’t find them, you can make your own dough.  I’ve done it.  It’s doable, but takes some time.  I actually like the dough that I’ve made better than the pre-made, but I of course enjoy the time savings.

Vegan Potstickers

Makes 50-60 potstickers

1-2 packages gyoza wrappers, or use above recipe

Flour for dusting

Small bowl of water

1 Tbs canola oil

2/3 cup of water

Filling:

Prepare at least several hours before it’s time to fill the potstickers.

1/2 medium sized head of Napa cabbage, washed well and finely diced

1 yellow onion (or 2 leeks) finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

1-2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated

(if I had some Thai basil, I’d probably finely dice a few leaves of that and throw it in, too)

1 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs rice wine vinegar

1.  Mix all the filling in a large bowl, preferably a day ahead of time.

2.  Drain filling in a colander.  There will be more liquid than you started with, thanks to the soy sauce leaching moisture out of the veggies (especially the cabbage)- drain it well.

3.  After removing gyoza wrappers from package, cover with a damp cloth or paper towel.  They dry out fast.  Throw some flour on your workspace to prevent sticking.  Have a couple of cookie sheets ready with a piece of waxed paper if you plan to freeze any of these; otherwise, either just a piece of waxed paper or additional floured surface will work for the assembled potstickers.

4.  Lay out one wrapper.  Spoon a teaspoon of filling into the middle.  Dip your finger into the water bowl, and run it along the edges of the gyoza wrapper.  Fold wrapper in half, press edges together and set assembled potsticker aside.   Repeat.  You may have some extra filling leftover; I like to throw it into my Tofu Noodle Soup.

5.  Heat canola oil in a large-ish stainless steal pan- the pan needs to have a lid that fits tight, but put that aside for now.  DO NOT USE TEFLON.  They’re potSTICKERS.  They need to stick!

6.  Slide in potstickers (I can fit about 8 in my pan).  On medium-high heat, cook until the bottoms are golden brown.

7.  Standing back and with the lid in one hand, dump in the 2/3 cup water.  Quickly put the lid on; turn the heat down to medium-low.  Steam for 2 minutes.

8.  Remove lid, and continue to cook until liquid is gone.  Turn off heat.  Use a metal spatula to “unstick” your potstickers.  This will not be easy, but remember, they’re not pot-slide-right-off-the-pan-ers.

9.  If cooking additional batches, keep completed ones in a 200F oven while cooking the rest.

10.  Serve with a dipping sauce.  I like a little soy suace, Chinese black vinegar and sesame oil with a few crushed red pepper flakes.

If you want to try to make these a bit healthier, I’ve had luck with just using a spray of oil in the pan, but you’ll want the heat lower.  Watch them very closely- they burn quickly.  The fire department ended up at my apartment the first time I tried them that way!  (No damage, just the result of the building being hardwired to the station…)

These freeze really well.  Just lay them out on a cookie sheet (not touching) and freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container.  Don’t defrost before cooking.