Chinese Pan-Fried Dumplings (锅貼）

It has been a long while since I last made potstickers. My two girls like the Chinese pan-fried dumplings with meat and Chinese Chive filling a lot but I do not make for them often enough as it is a time-consuming process to make the dumpling skins from scratch.

I finally made the dumplings for them over the weekend to satisfy their cravings. The recipe that I am sharing below is taken from a chinese cook book that I borrowed from the library many years ago. I jotted down the ingredients required for the wrappers. As for the fillings, I simply mix  up minced meat and chive and season it to my preference.

Chinese Pan-Fried Dumplings / Potstickers (锅貼)

Making Dumpling Wrappers from scratch

• 250g plain flour
• 70g boiling water
• 30g water at room temperature

1. Add boiling water to the flour
2. Mix with a pair chopsticks to combine
3. Add in the cold water
4. Knead into a dough and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before use (cover dough with wet cloth)
5. Pinch a small ball of dough, flatten it on a floured surface.
6. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin round wrapper about 3 inch in diameter. Repeat the same until all the dough are used up.

 

Making the dumplings

Ingredients for dumpling fillings:

• minced pork
• a bunch of chive, thinly sliced
• Salt, pepper, light soy sauce, sesame oil for seasoning 

 

Sauce for pan frying dumplings:

• 1 tablespoon of black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce

1. Mix the minced pork and chives together, season with salt, pepper, sesame oil and light soy sauce.
2. Combine the pan frying sauce together. Set aside.
3. To make dumplings, place a teaspoonful of the meat fillings on the center of the skin. Dab a little water with your index finger and go around the edge of the wrapper. Fold up the wrapper and pleat into dumpling shape. Repeat the same for the rest.
4. To pan fry the dumpling, heat up a little oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Place the dumplings on the frying pan and then turn the heat to high. Pan fry the dumplings until the bottoms turn golden brown and crisp. Add about 2 teaspoon of the vinegar sauce over the dumplings and cover the frying pan with its lid immediately. Cook until sauce has evaporated and turn the heat to low. Remove the lid and cook the dumplings for another 2 minutes, dish out. 

 Serve hot with Chinese black vinegar and thinly sliced ginger.

 I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #19: Dim Sum Affair (May 2012) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.