Potstickers Recipe

Prepare the cabbage: place shredded Napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt, toss, let sit 5 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture tightly using your hands or a clean towel. You should drain out several tablespoons of liquid—this prevents soggy filling.

Combine filling ingredients: in a medium bowl, add ground pork, drained cabbage, sliced green onions, grated ginger, minced garlic, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper, and 1 tsp cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or chopsticks until the mixture becomes slightly sticky (about 1–2 minutes). This helps the filling bind.

Taste and adjust: if desired, cook a 1 tsp sample of the filling in a small skillet to check seasoning and adjust salt/soy as needed. Refrigerate the filling for 10 minutes to firm slightly if very soft.

Set up assembly station: place a small bowl of water nearby for sealing, a lightly damp towel to cover wrappers so they don’t dry, and a plate for finished dumplings.

Portion filling: using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop, place about 1 tsp to 1.25 tsp (approximately 8–10 g) of filling in the center of each wrapper. Don’t overfill — the wrapper should be able to close easily.

Seal: dip your finger in water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a half-moon and press the center to seal. Starting at one end, make 3–4 small pleats on one side while pressing firmly against the other side to create a pleated edge (traditional potsticker pleat). Ensure there are no air pockets and the edges are well sealed.

Keep covered: place finished potstickers on the plate in a single layer and cover with the damp towel to prevent drying while you finish the rest.

Heat pan: choose a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with a lid. Add 2 tbsp neutral oil and heat over medium-high until shimmering (about 1–2 minutes).

Arrange potstickers: working in batches (do not overcrowd — about 12–18 depending on pan size), place potstickers flat side down in the pan so they are not touching. Reduce heat to medium.

Fry bottoms: cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp. Peek by lifting one to check color.

Steam: carefully pour 1/2 cup water into the pan (away from yourself to avoid splatter) and immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. The water will create steam to cook the filling and wrappers. Let steam for 5–6 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the wrappers become translucent in places and are cooked through.

Crisp again: remove the lid and continue cooking for 1 more minute to re-crisp the bottoms. Drizzle 1/2 tsp sesame oil over the potstickers and tilt the pan to glaze the bottoms slightly, if desired.

Transfer and keep warm: use a spatula to transfer cooked potstickers to a serving platter. Repeat with remaining dumplings, adding a little more oil between batches if necessary.

Mix sauce: in a small bowl combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp chili oil (optional), 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/4 tsp sugar or honey, and 1 tbsp thinly sliced green onion. Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust—add more vinegar for tang, more soy for saltiness, or a pinch more sugar if too sharp.

Serve: place sauce in small dipping bowls alongside the hot potstickers. Garnish potstickers with extra sliced green onion if desired.