Pork Pot Stickers Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss and let sit 10 minutes to draw out moisture. After 10 minutes, squeeze the cabbage in a clean kitchen towel or between hands to extract as much liquid as possible. Measure the drained cabbage — you should have about 3/4 to 1 cup; return to a bowl.

Mix filling

In a large bowl combine ground pork, drained cabbage, chopped scallions, minced ginger and garlic. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, egg, cornstarch, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or clean hands until mixture becomes sticky and well combined (about 1–2 minutes). Chilling the filling 15–30 minutes will help it firm up and make wrapping easier (optional).

Set up assembly station

Arrange a small bowl of water for sealing, a work surface dusted lightly with cornstarch or flour (optional to prevent sticking), and the filling bowl. Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.

Fill wrappers

Place one wrapper on your palm or flat surface. Spoon about 1 teaspoon to 1.5 teaspoons of filling into the center of each wrapper (adjust to wrapper size — avoid overfilling). Dip your finger into the water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a half-moon, press out excess air, and seal by pleating the edge (make 3–6 small pleats) or simply press firmly to close. Repeat until all filling is used. You should get approximately 36–40 pot stickers depending on filling size.

Pan-fry and steam (pot-sticker method)

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat. Arrange pot stickers flat-side down in a single layer without crowding (work in batches if needed). Fry until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2–3 minutes. Carefully pour 1/2 cup water into the pan (it will sizzle), immediately cover with a lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam until water has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes, or until pork is cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C). Uncover and cook 30–60 seconds more to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you cook remaining batches.

Make dipping sauce

In a small bowl combine 3 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons black vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili oil (optional), and toasted sesame seeds if using. Adjust to taste — add more chili oil for heat or more vinegar for tang.

Serve: Arrange pot stickers on a platter and serve hot with the dipping sauce. Garnish with additional thinly sliced scallions if desired.