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4.01.2010

Pork & Chive Pot Stickers

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And I quote, "This is the absolute best thing you have ever made." 

The context:  I made these potstickers for dinner and these were the exact words Mr. Hungry used as he looked at me with the most wide eyed happy face I have seen in awhile.  I don't think there is much more I can say to tell you how good they are (oh yeah, except I absolutely loved them too) so I will go on to trying to convince you to make these.  I could literally see the loss of interest in people's faces when I told them about these little sussies and I blame that wholly on the fact that the minute you hear about something you have only had in a  restaurant, you assume it is too complicated to be on anyone's list of things to try.
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Well, let me tell you that couldn't be farther from the truth.  These are so easy and more than that, they were pretty fun to put together.  I don't have any munchkins of my own, but I have a feeling kids would love to help you make these for dinner.  Kind of makes we want to have children of my own so I could have a little assembly line of dumpling makers and crank these out by the hundreds.  (Okay, before you call Child Protective Services on behalf of my future children, I'm just joking...kind of).
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Previously, I found my favorite version at our local grocery store (name to remain anonymous because of the rest of this story).  The small problem is the hair that Mr. Hungry found in his last batch that we got from there so I decided I needed to come up with my own.  And I actually prefer knowing exactly what goes into these.  As Mr. Hungry explained it, he says half the joy of eating the homemade version is not having to be worried about biting into something weird.  Moral of the story... these are actually the best pot stickers I have ever had including restaurant and store bought versions and I am extra happy to avoid the mystery of what is inside. 


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Pork & Chive Pot Stickers
Adapted from Everyday Food
Recipe Notes
The key to making these really tasty is to let the fry up for awhile until they are golden brown and crispy.  If you are unfamiliar with wonton wrappers, they can be found in most any grocery store in the refrigerated section.  At my grocery, they are located next to the herbs and mushrooms. 
Ingredients
1/4 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
20 wonton wrappers (from a 12-ounce package)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Soy-Ginger Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Step by Step
 In a bowl, combine pork, chives, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt and 1 tablespoon water.  Place an overflowing teaspoon of the pork mixture in the center of the wonton wrapper.  Lightly wet the out edge of the wonton wrapper and press together to seal, forming a half moon.  Place on parchment paper or wax paper to keep from sticking to the counter.  Repeat with remaining dumplings.

Cook dumplings in two batches so they do not crowd the pan.  Cook in boiling water until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon or an asian strainer.  Heat vegetable oil over medium-high.  In two batches, cook until golden brown and slightly crispy, about 2 minutes per side.  Serve with dipping sauce.

To make Dipping Sauce
In a bowl, stir together all ingredients listed above.  

To Freeze:
Prepare through the first paragraph (prepare, but do not boil) and freeze between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container.  When you are ready to make them, take them out of the freezer and continue with the steps.  You can stick them right in the boiling water in their frozen state.  Allow to cook a few extra minutes. 

5 comments:

  1. These have created quite the problem in my family. My kids won't stop asking for them! I took the advice to make a double batch and I put the other half in the freezer thinking I would use them next week. However, my two boys begged me to make them the very next night for dinner! And they thought making them was a blast too so we will be making them again this weekend. Thanks Little Kitchen that Could!

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  2. I am going to try and be adventurous and make these, but have not found any wonton wrappers. Anyone have any hints on finding them?

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  3. I found them in the produce section of HEB in a little plastic container next to the egg roll wrappers. I have never had pot stickers before; but it looked like a fun recipe to try. My sister said that they turned out great/ just like potstickers are supposed to taste. Has anyone tried a different filling? I'm not a big fan of pork.

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  4. I thought filling them with shrimp was a good idea. Anyone have any ideas on what to put with the shrimp? I found the wrappers as well at Randall's in Dallas.

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  5. I have had shrimp dumplings that also have green onion and cilantro and a little bit of garlic. I will look for that recipe. I have also made them with chicken if you don't care for pork, but I definitely think pork has the best flavor.

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