Pork and Ginger Potstickers

I have been vey busy lately, running around like a chicken with my head cut off, so I have not had time to post. Sorry about that! Hopefully, I can get back on track.

Let's' talk potstickers. I first found my love of potstickers or gyoza dining out at sushi restaurants. They are a nice little starter to any meal - or for John, they are your meal since he doesn't eat sushi. Potstickers are versatile in that you can steam them, fry them, deep fry them...whatever really tickles your fancy! You can also fill them with just about anything - veggies, pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, etc. Again, whatever tickles your fancy. I like to make pork and ginger potstickers, so that is the recipe I will be sharing. Feel free to substitute whatever you would like for the pork if that isn't something that you love. 

These little pockets of deliciousness are quite easy to make a big batch of and are really not that time consuming once you get the hang of crimping the potsticker. 

Pork and Ginger Potstickers

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients (filling):

• .5 lb ground pork
• 2 green onions finely chopped
• .25 sweet onion finely diced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced (1.5" to 2" piece)
• 1 tbsp garlic minced (2-3 cloves)
• 1 tbsp chile garlic paste or sriracha (optional)
• 1 - 1.5 tsp sesame oil
• Dash of soy sauce
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients (finishing them off):

• 1 package potsticker wrappers
• 1 egg + 1-2 tbsp water
• Extra virgin olive oil and sesame oil

How to Make Pork and Ginger Potstickers:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Set aside. 
2. In the meantime, prepare your egg wash by whisking your egg and water together.
3. Lay out your potsticker wrappers and fill one side of each one with about 1 tbsp of filling. 
4. Brush the outer edge of the other half with egg wash. 
5. Fold the potsticker in half so it seals and makes a half moon. 
6. Starting at one end, gently crimp each potsticker multiple times until closed.

Cooking the potstickers:

You have quite a few options are this point. You could drop your potstickers in the deep fryer at 350 degrees until they are crisp, simply steam them for a few minutes until the filling ins cooked through, or combine both methods - steam and fry. 

1. Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. 
2. Drop several potstickers into the boiling water and cook until they start to float.
3. Drain the potstickers on a baking sheet fitted with a cookie or wire rack on top. Let dry completely. 
4. Drizzle olive oil and sesame oil in a large frying pan and heat to medium high. 
5. Add the potstickers in batches as to not overcrowd the pan, and cook until golden brown on each side. 

These are definitely addicting...pretty soon you will have eaten the whole batch and won't' even realize it. 

Enjoy!

- H