Potstickers (rg) Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Place the finely shredded cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, toss, and let sit for 5–10 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture firmly with your hands or a towel until mostly dry. This keeps filling from becoming watery.

Combine filling ingredients

In a medium bowl, add ground pork, squeezed cabbage, sliced scallions, grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon salt, white pepper, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or your hands until sticky and well combined (about 1–2 minutes). Taste a small bit by cooking a tiny patty in a skillet to check seasoning and adjust salt/soy if necessary.

Prepare workspace

Lightly dust your work surface with the 2 tablespoons flour to prevent sticking. Place wrappers in a single stack covered with a damp towel so they don't dry out.

Portion filling

Spoon about 1 teaspoon to 1.5 teaspoons of filling (roughly 12–15 g) into the center of each wrapper. Smaller amounts make thinner, easier-to-seal potstickers; larger amounts make plumper dumplings.

Seal potstickers

Dip your fingertip in the 2 tablespoons water and run a thin line around half the edge of each wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a semicircle, pressing the center to seal. Starting at one end, make 3 small pleats on one side while pressing each pleat to the opposite edge to form tight, crimped seals. Ensure there are no air pockets and the edges are fully sealed.

Heat pan and brown

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat. Arrange potstickers in the pan flat side down in a single layer without crowding (work in batches if needed). Cook 2–3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp.

Steam in pan

Carefully pour 1/2 cup water into the pan (it will sputter), then immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 5–6 minutes, or until the filling is fully cooked (pork reaches 160°F/71°C) and wrappers are tender.

Finish and crisp

Remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high for 30–60 seconds to evaporate remaining water and re-crisp the bottoms. Use a spatula to transfer potstickers to a plate, crisp-side up.

Repeat

Repeat the browning and steaming process with remaining potstickers, adding more oil if the pan becomes dry.

Whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili oil or flakes (if using), 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon finely sliced scallion. Taste and adjust balance with more soy for salt, vinegar for tang, or sugar for sweetness.