Veggie Potstickers Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Salt the shredded cabbage lightly (about 1/4 tsp), place in a bowl, toss and let sit 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels until mostly dry (this prevents soggy filling).

Cook aromatics & mushrooms

Heat a skillet over medium with 1 tsp neutral oil. Add minced garlic and grated ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chopped shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release moisture and it evaporates, 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine filling

In a large bowl, combine the drained cabbage, cooked mushrooms and aromatics, grated carrot, sliced scallions, crumbled pressed tofu, sesame oil, 1.5 tbs soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds, white pepper, 1 tbs cornstarch and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix thoroughly until a cohesive mixture forms. Taste and adjust seasoning — add up to 1 tsp more soy sauce or a pinch of salt if needed. If filling feels loose, add another 1/2 tbs cornstarch.

Prepare a small bowl of cold water for sealing and a clean work surface. Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Place one wrapper on your palm. Put about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (depending on wrapper size) of filling in the center — roughly 1 tsp for smaller wonton wrappers, 1 Tbs for larger gyoza wrappers. Moisten the wrapper edge with water using your finger.

Fold the wrapper in half to form a half-moon and press to seal at the center. Create 3–4 pleats along one side (if making gyoza style) pressing firmly to seal pleats into the opposite side. Ensure there are no air pockets. Place assembled potstickers on a lightly floured tray or baking sheet, not touching, under a damp towel. Repeat until all wrappers are used.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1–2 tbs neutral oil and swirl to coat the bottom.

Arrange potstickers in a single layer, flat side down, leaving a little space between them. Cook without moving until bottoms are golden brown, 2–3 minutes.

Carefully add 1/2 cup water to the pan (watch for splatter) and immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 5–6 minutes until wrappers become tender and filling is heated through and any liquid has mostly been absorbed or evaporated.

Remove lid and continue cooking uncovered for another 1–2 minutes to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Cook remaining batches as needed, adding a little more oil between batches if pan becomes dry.

Whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs lime juice, 1 tbs mirin, 2 tbs chilled dashi or vegetable stock, 1 tsp sugar or honey and 1/2 tsp sesame oil until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness to preference.

Stir in 1 tbs thinly sliced scallion, 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if using. Chill or let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to meld flavors before serving.

Arrange warm potstickers on a serving plate. Serve with the citrus ponzu in a small bowl. Garnish with cilantro or microgreens and lime wedges if desired.

Optional: sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over potstickers for extra aroma and crunch.