Potstickers Vegetables (7pcs) Recipe

Prepare vegetables: core and finely shred the green cabbage until you have about 1.5 cups packed. Peel and grate the carrot. Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and finely dice the caps. Thinly slice the scallions (whites and greens separated if possible).

Press and crumble tofu: wrap the tofu in paper towels and press gently for 10 minutes to remove excess water. Crumble or finely dice the tofu into small pieces.

Cook the filling: heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add grated carrot, diced mushrooms and the white parts of the scallions; sauté 2–3 minutes until softened. Add shredded cabbage and cook 2–3 more minutes until wilted and any released moisture mostly evaporates.

Add aromatics and tofu: stir in minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add crumbled tofu and cook 1–2 minutes to combine.

Season and bind: add 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon white pepper and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Stir and cook 1 minute until the cornstarch slightly thickens and the mixture holds together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let the filling cool until easy to handle (10–15 minutes). Stir in the green parts of the scallions.

Set up an assembly area: place wrappers on a clean tray covered with a lightly damp towel so they don’t dry out. Have a small bowl of water for sealing.

Portion filling: spoon about 1 tablespoon of cooled filling into the center of each wrapper. You should have enough to fill 7 wrappers (adjust slightly if using more filling).

Seal the potstickers: wet the edge of each wrapper with a little water using your fingertip. Fold the wrapper in half to form a half-moon and press to seal at the top. Create 4–6 small pleats along one side, pressing firmly to ensure a tight seal and prevent leaking during cooking. Repeat until all 7 dumplings are sealed.

Heat the pan

Use a nonstick or cast-iron skillet with a lid. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering.

Fry the dumplings: place the potstickers flat-side down in the pan in a single layer without overcrowding (7 should fit comfortably). Cook undisturbed 2–3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

Steam in the same pan: carefully pour 1/4 cup water into the pan (it will sizzle). Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam 5–6 minutes until wrappers are translucent and filling is cooked through.

Finish and crisp: remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high briefly to evaporate leftover water and re-crisp the bottoms for 30–60 seconds. Use a spatula to transfer potstickers to a plate, browned side up.

Mix the sauce: combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes or a dash of chili oil (optional), 1/4 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion in a small bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust acidity or heat to preference.

Serve: place dipping sauce in a small ramekin alongside the 7 potstickers. Serve immediately while hot.