chinese dumplings and potstickers
Recipe: chinese dumplings and potstickers
[warning: a long post]
Do you know what that one recipe was that started you on your cooking passion? I have cooked since I was a kid, but I didn’t get serious until I was a sophomore in college and I felt this cultural obligation to make dumplings from scratch to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Dumplings have lodged themselves in my head as my link to Chinese cooking and culture, but even better than that - mastering dumplings gave me the confidence to go forward and try other recipes and techniques.
for the pork filling
I posted Making Chinese Dumplings with Jen on my website several years ago (it now lives here). People have written asking about fillings, thanking me for my recipe, asking me to post more versions… The endeavor to make Chinese dumplings isn’t like pouring a can of soda - it’s quite involved and taking the photos adds considerably more time. Seeing as my days of free time may be near an end, I decided Making Chinese Dumplings with Jen could use an upgrade and an added variation. Besides, that old version was created in graduate school, a time of simultaneously happy and extremely bad, miserable, loathsome, angry, depressing, unhappy associations for me.
there is an ungodly amount of chopping involved
First off, the process for making the dumplings and the potstickers is the same until you actually cook them. You steam or boil the dumplings, you pan fry (mmmm, fry…) the potstickers. I ate enough dumplings in my childhood that I feel I need to make up for it with potstickers now. That’s not true - I’m a sucker for fried things. I generally make true dumplings on Chinese New Year because Mom and Grandma have scared me into thinking I’ll be poor if I don’t. Something about eating dumplings means money, tofu is luck, something else is health, and the list goes on. I play it safe and eat everything.
adding some sesame oil, soy sauce, and cornstarch to the mix
The biggest time sink in making dumplings (for me, anyway) is chopping everything into a mince. I don’t doubt people have tried and will continue to try using a food processor. I’ve done that before and I think it leads to inferior texture in your filling. A food processor is great at creating a purée or unevenly chopped pieces - but neither of those is what we want. Use a good, sharp knife and give yourself plenty of time.
pork filling is ready
I used to have dumplings every Sunday night as a kid - and without all the work! Mom, Dad, and Grandma whipped them up in an hour or two. It’s quite the production with the three master chefs going (all three are AMAZING cooks). Alas, I am so OCD that I don’t allow my two housemates to help me (Jeremy gets dish duty and no one wants Kaweah to help) and it takes about 3 hours to produce 100 dumplings if I’m not shooting the process. Anyway, the big treat was when my mom would make shrimp dumplings. They were so good. I tried to make some once without consulting her on the ingredients. Cocky me, I thought it was so simple to figure out. They burned and tasted not quite right. I called her while I examined the potsticker with disappointment. “You need to add pork!” Oh, I didn’t know you added pork meat. “You need to add at least as much pork as the shrimp - or more. Or else there isn’t enough fat and it won’t taste as good and will burn.” Mom to the rescue. I suppose if you steam or boil, then you don’t need to use pork - but Mom is right that the pork adds flavor (via fat) that the shrimp can’t do on its own.
shrimp dumplings require… shrimp!
peel and devein
in the mix: ground pork, green onions, shrimp, water chestnuts, ginger root
the shrimp filling
The dough is something I’ve cheated on. I use my Cuisinart with dough blade to mix the dough. My mom’s method is probably more authentic and consistent, but I suck at it. She mixes the flour and water with chopsticks. I know some people use wonton wrappers, but those have egg in the dough and they obviously aren’t as good as fresh homemade. I don’t use them, but I could see where making the dumpling skins could be daunting. I’m hoping my instructions will inspire others to make their own dough.
2 cups of flour for 1/2 pound of meat in the filling
pour in about 1/2 cup of water and pulse
the dough should be firm and silky to touch
To make the dough discs, I slice the lump into 4 strips and roll each strip into an even cylinder about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. I slice the strip into pieces about 3/4 inch thick, rotating the strip by 90 degrees after each slice. Then I press each slice into a circular disc. The more circular you can get the disc, the easier time you’ll have of rolling it out. I have to work quickly in Colorado because our air is generally so dry (today we are at 10% humidity) that the dough begins to harden and crack at the surface. I tend to cut a dozen and put the remaining dough under a damp kitchen towel while I work.
cutting strips
cutting slices
pressing discs
Once I have a flat, round disc of dough, I like to roll it out once to less than 1/4 inch thickness and then turn it 90 degrees and roll it out once to maintain the circular shape. The next step is where some fingers may get pinched, but with practice it goes very quickly. Pick up the the edge of the dough in one hand, and with the other hand, roll the rolling pin on the edge nearest to you, but not past the middle. Thin out the dough with a couple of rolls and then turn the disc 60 degrees and repeat until you’ve rolled out the whole thing to a larger and thinner circle. You want to leave the middle just slightly fatter than the edges. The disc should be between 3 and 4 inches in diameter.
roll it out the first time
rolling the final skin
The shape of your dumpling skin will determine how easily you can fold your dumplings and probably how pretty they turn out. I’ve taught several white people how to fold dumplings in person and some of them don’t quite make that connection between the dumpling skin that resembles the map-view of Italy and the dumpling that looks like that scene from Alien when the little critter bursts forth from Kane’s chest… yeah. Well, assuming you have a circular wrapper you plop enough filling in the center and allow about 1/2 inch of margin. Take your chopsticks (that’s what I use to handle the filling) and shape it into an oval on the dough. Fold the two ends of dough on the short axis of the filling together like a taco and pinch them tight at the top. From there, move about 1/4 of the way down from center and create a fold in the edge of the dough closest to you, fold it down and pinch it tight. You’re creating a pleat in the dough. Repeat this two or three more times - enough to leave a teardrop opening at the end.
it takes some practice to know not to over or under fill
pinch the top together
making a pleat
the teardrop at the end
I like to poke the end of the teardrop in and then pinch it shut. Now half of the dumpling is folded. Turn the dumpling around so the pleats are facing away from you and pleat toward the center on the same side as the pleats you just made. The whole thing should curve into a crescent form concave toward you. After the pleats are done and the other corner is pinched in, I go over the entire crest and pinch it tight because any openings will result in filling leaking out or other unsightly issues. The final dumpling should be a neat and pretty package.
closing the end
pleating the other side
the dumpling should resemble something like this
Making a hundred dumplings isn’t easy on the back. There is no way I can work the dough on my kitchen counters - they are too high. I work on my kitchen table because the height allows me to use my weight when rolling out the dough. Don’t forget to take a break and give your body a stretch. Let’s have a look at our faithful companion… She’s never far from the action in the kitchen.
good dog
I like to line my dumplings neatly on a large plate. I can typically fit all of the dumplings on a plate in one batch to cook in my large frying pan. Before I place a finished dumpling on the plate, I gently rub the base of the dumpling in a thin layer of flour on the work surface. It helps to prevent sticking to the plate (which can destroy a dumpling) when you need to quickly set them in the frying pan.
like little purses
a plateful ready for cooking
Frying potstickers is the more complex of the different ways to prepare dumplings. It’s quite simple though. I use a large non-stick frying pan with high sides and cover. First you pan fry the dumplings in a little bit of oil (a few tbsps) on medium high heat. When the bottoms get golden, ready yourself with the lid and in one swift move pour water into the pan (duck while everything spatters violently) and clap the lid on! I’ve made several messes over the years during this step. A measuring cup with a spout helps a lot and you have to dump the water in ALL AT ONCE. When the water boils off, remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium or medium low. This allows the potstickers to dry out and crisp up.
getting settled into the pan
bubbling hot after adding the water
shoot for a golden bottom
When the dumplings are done, you can scoop them out and serve them hot, or you can do a fancy move and flip them onto a plate upside down. The second trick doesn’t always feel like it will work for me. The pan is heavy and still very hot. I always worry that my plate is going to go flying and shatter on the floor amidst fallen potstickers that the dog would immediately dive into… But it seems to work alright and sometimes I don’t even have to rearrange them to look like they came out of the pan correctly.
serve bottoms up
Dipping sauces are a personal choice. I like to use soy sauce, a dash of sesame oil, red wine vinegar or black vinegar, and most of all a spicy chili garlic paste. You can add minced ginger, garlic, green onions, sugar, take your pick - or pick them all. If you don’t plan on eating all of the dumplings (I usually make a triple batch) you can successfully freeze them for a later date. Don’t cook them, but place them on a baking sheet so none of them are touching. Pop the sheet into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes until the dumplings are no longer sticky or soft. Place the frozen dumplings in a freezer bag taking care not to squash them together and seal. Freeze for up to a couple of months. Cook the same way, although you may way to let them cook a little longer during the boiling water phase to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked. Easy peasy, right?
shrimp potsticker
Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers
pork filling
1 lb ground pork
4 large napa cabbage leaves, minced
3 stalks green onions, minced
7 shitake mushrooms, minced (if dried - rehydrated and rinsed carefully)
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, minced
1/4 cup ginger root, minced
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp corn starch
OR
shrimp filling
1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1/2 lb ground pork
3 stalks green onions, minced
1/4 cup ginger root, minced
1 cup water chestnuts, minced
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp corn starch
dough
Note: you will want to double this for the amount of filling listed - I just tend to use leftover pork filling for soup meatballs. A single batch will yield about 40 dumplings depending on size.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
flour for worksurface
dipping sauce
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)
Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (I mix by clean hand). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).
Make the dough, Method 2 (my mom’s instructions): In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed. Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.
Both dough methods: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images above).
To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot. Boil the dumplings until they float.
To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface and steam for about 6 minutes.
To pan fry (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.
To freeze: Assemble dumplings on a baking sheet so they are not touching. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until dumplings are no longer soft. Place in ziploc bag and freeze for up to a couple of months. Prepare per the above instructions, but allow extra time to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked.
To serve: Serve dumplings or potstickers hot with your choice of dipping sauce combinations.
October 4th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Amazing! Thanks for the steps - for someone who has always wanted to make these but always been a little scared to - steps like these are really appreciated!
October 5th, 2007 at 3:14 am
Wow, what great step by steps. I have never made them before…but have eaten many.
I am too embarrassed to say that my first cooking inspiration was taking Ritz cracker and spread cheese ball on them and then covering them with tomato rice soup(I was young) but seemed to be obseesed with them for awhile…not so much now :)
October 5th, 2007 at 3:23 am
I love your photos! thanks for the detailed instructions on how to make potstickers! :)
October 5th, 2007 at 4:07 am
Oh they look fantastic! I’ll have to give them another go - mine didn’t look anything like yours!
October 5th, 2007 at 9:45 am
This is such a great post with step-by-step instructions. I have got to make these this weekend. Yum.
Thanks for sharing the recipe! Absolutely droolicious. ;)
October 5th, 2007 at 10:46 am
These look so great! I have never made dumplings before, mainly because I know I would have a hard time shaping them, and I’d probably make them look horrible! But I guess as long as they taste good, that’s what matters, right??
October 5th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
oh gosh, they look delicious!
on a completely unrelated note, what kind of camera do you have/use? i’m looking for a new one and your photos have such crisp color.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Julia - there are so many things that I wouldn’t know how to do today if it hadn’t been for someone showing me how! Glad I could pass that along :)
Peabody - it’s safe to say that we all had our moments as budding gourmets. I’ll share something that Jeremy would be mortified to know that I’m writing about… he used to (as a kid) nuke a piece of bologna until it curled up like a bowl, then he’d fill it with mayo and EAT IT. ugh… He’s not a gourmet though - just my taste tester. Can’t believe the guy is as thin as a rail.
Maninas - you are most welcome and thanks!
Nicisme - i’m sure yours will turn out beautifully. Good luck!
RM - woman, you flatter me! I drool right back at your site.
Deborah - i’ll bet that you would make great dumplings. the folding isn’t that hard - if you can handle pie crust, dumplings shouldn’t be too bad :)
Patti - thanks! You should read my about page for my tirade on photography, but the quick answer is that the crispness and color have to do with 1) focus and tripod and 2) knowing how to use lighting and post processing. My camera is a Nikon D200 which I use primarily for landscape photography. You could easily get by with a much more compact and inexpensive model for food photog.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
These step-by-step pictures are gorgeous!
Having been dragged into the dumplings assembly line far too many times to count…there’s a cheat to making dumplings quickly. After placing the filling in the center, I place the wrapper and filling in my left palm (I’m right-handed) tuck in the edges a little, line the edges up, and press firmly. They’re not as pretty as yours are, but are functional, and hold the filling well.
October 6th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
My husband and I were just discussing that it’s almost that time of year to make dumplings. Thanks for a great refresher course, and I’m really looking forward to the shrimp/pork version! Great photos.
October 7th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Ellen - Thanks for the tip! I never knew of any other way to fold dumplings than the way my mom and grandma taught me. That’s a good suggestion for beginners that I’ll keep in mind.
S’kat - thanks. I see you’re from the Hampton Roads area. I grew up there!
October 11th, 2007 at 9:53 am
[...] i’d far rather splurge on home-made pot stickers, or pumpkin cornbread cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting (so good, it makes you wanna slap [...]
October 16th, 2007 at 8:26 am
hi,
thanks for the receipes. i am giving it a go today. just a bit confused about the orignial and improved receipe.
Original Rec: Says to put a damp cloth over the dough for 15minutes, but the new one does not?
should i leave for 15minutes?
thanks again
October 16th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Kristina - thanks for the question. I realize that my recipe was a tad vague. I’ll fix that now. Yes, cover with damp cloth and leave for 15 minutes. Hope they turn out for you!
November 5th, 2007 at 8:55 am
I made there dumplings this weekend and they are fantastic!! Thank you again for posting these wonderful recipes. I also made the candied orange peels. It was time consuming, but totally worth the wait. I am making an italian cookie called Roccoco( I hope I spelled that right) for the upcoming holidays, and it calls for candied citrus peel. I am so glad I can make my own!
Thanks!!
November 6th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Amy - great! I’m so happy to hear that the recipe was clear enough for you to make the dumplings. It is great to know that you didn’t have any problems when giving them a try. If you do run into problems, certainly let me know because I always want to update any recipes that might be unclear. Thanks for the feedback :)
December 11th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Jen, these duplings look wonderful! Next time we make them we will definately have to try the home made dough and the pork filling too! Thanks for the tips! Alex
December 11th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Alex - thanks so much. I have to admit that this technique takes some time and effort, but definitely worth it in the end. So it’s a good thing to do with a bunch of friends :)
December 13th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
This post is fantastic. Your instructions (especially the folding part) are detailed and well illustrated. I’m getting super hungry. I’m sure my dog will keep me company too!
Matthew
December 13th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Matthew - Oh, I am so glad you found the post helpful. Hope your dumplings come out great!
January 15th, 2008 at 9:36 am
I’m not sure how I stumbled upon your site, but I’m so glad I did. You’ve inspired me to make homemade potstickers.
I have a question. (Sorry if it’s sounds silly.) I notice on other recipes I have read for potstickers eggs or egg whites are used. Your recipe doesn’t call for them. Also your recipe is the only one I’ve seen so far that uses cornstarch. Are there reasons for this?
I plan on trying your recipe soon. :)
Anna
January 15th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Anna - I think they’re both binding agents for the filling. I’ve just always used cornstarch which blends with the soy sauce and sesame oil so that it’s hardly noticeable. Can’t speak for the egg, but I imagine they have similar results! Good luck.
February 9th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Great recipes Jen. Love your photography, too. Last year I made the pork dumpling I saw on your old blog. This year I made the shrimp ones for CNY. Both yummy. BTW, here in the Chicago area the Asian markets sell “dumpling wrappers (ShangHai style)” which are just flour & water & citric acid preservative. Not as good as homemade but still good. Many of the restaurants around here (mostly Cantonese) sell dumplings with very thick skins. We prefer the thin delicate dough which gets nice & crispy.
Thanks for the recipes Jen. Happy New Year.
Cyndi
February 11th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Cyndi - I’m so glad you made the shrimp ones this year! Thanks for dropping by and also on the tip for the wrappers. I don’t even bother looking anymore, but they could come in very handy at times :) Gong Xi Fa Tsai to you too!!
February 13th, 2008 at 7:39 am
i can’t wait to make this recipe - quick question, though - i’m vegetarian, any suggestions for modifying the filling to be vegetarian? obviously, leave out the pork - but i’m not sure whether to replace in full with some sort of tofu product or increase the veggies? any suggestions would be great. thanks!
February 13th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Nell - hmmm, I think you can use stuff like Chinese leeks (see Rasa Malaysia’s latest post on dumplings - she used Chinese leeks), or increase the Chinese mushrooms, bamboo shoots. Maybe bind them with beaten egg or beaten egg whites? You could use dried tofu (like the dry tofu cakes I used in my lucky ten ingredient dish) or crumble regular tofu? Napa cabbage, chopped fine, is also nice. Sorry I can’t be of much help!
February 16th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Jen, I love dumplings! The only thing is—I only eat seafood so I guess if I eliminate the ground pork, my potstickers won’t be as good. How can I make my dumplings moist? Any suggestions? Thanks.
February 16th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
hi jen! i spent tonight making potstickers w/ vegetarian filling. your recipe is magnificent! i love that the dough is so simple and so good. i made a large batch w/ the same veggies you use but roughly doubled, plus 2 packages of organic smoky tempeh strips - briefly panfried first for texture & taste, and then minced. i also used hot sesame oil which gave the potstickers some great kick (if you like spicy). i made a separate batch with garlic stirfried peapod stems (actually leftovers from takeout the other night) mixed with tofu, sesame oil, soy sauce and touch of garlic chili paste. both recipes were great, but the tofu ones are a little bland for my taste. i’ll add more chili paste next time, or the hot sesame oil. i didn’t do the raw egg b/c i wanted to see if these would be good as vegan, and they turned out SO delicious, no problem with binding at all. thanks again for sharing - i can’t wait to try your other recipes!
February 20th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
mamako - hmmm, I guess you could try to add some fat into the shrimp? i’m just not sure what kind. i’ve had dumplings in restaurants that are chinese leeks and shrimp - and they are to die for! but not sure about the fat. maybe add some sesame oil and some egg white and just watch the temp to make sure they don’t burn too quickly?
nell - great! i’m so glad it worked and that you liked it :)
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:35 am
[...] Didn’t have breakfast on Sunday until lunchtime… I guess you’d call that brunch… and even then all we had was plain porridge. But I felt somewhat well enough by mid afternoon to attempt making pot sticker dumplings from scratch using a wonderfully detailed recipe I found last week! There’s no point in me replicating the recipe here cos what’s important (to me) about this particular recipe is the step by step details with photo instructions, which makes it very very long but also a great tutorial! And I think I did pretty good for a first timer… absolutely clueless yes I managed to make pretty tasty dumplings! Some of which are now in the freezer cos the recipe whips up a pretty big batch (around about 36 depending on the size) for only 2 persons. Find the recipe here for delicious homemade Chinese dumplings. [...]
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
For Mamako,
I actually did make the shrimp ones without the pork, used more shrimp & added a tablespoon or so of peanut oil (it’s pretty flavorless & doesn’t burn easily) Didn’t use any egg white and subbed 1/2 cup of bamboo shoots for 1/2 the water chestnuts, otherwise followed Jen’s recipe. (My husband always complains I can’t make any recipe without changing something)
March 4th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Awesome! I am glad to hear of the variation and I hope they were good!
March 10th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
[...] found a recipe of chinese dumplings from ‘Use Real Butter’ blog. I told Mei don’t we make dumplings today and we shopped food what we need for making [...]
April 15th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Your website is awesome. All your recipe is so detailed and I can’t wait to try them all!
Thanks so much for posting all your delicious treat.
April 16th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Tini - thank you!
April 26th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Hi Jennifer,
I love your shrimp dumplings. I finally made the dumpling yesterday with skin and everything. Without your step by step instruction my dumplings probably will look like something else . I am going home in June to my country in Jakarta, Indonesia. I think my mom will be proud of me!!
Thanks again! I love your website.
April 28th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I googled “dumpligs” and I found this post! Wow, it’s a great pictorial Jen! These are by far the best dumplings reference I’ve found! They are so pretty and they look soooo good!
We teach a dumpling cooking class and we’ll tell our students about your post here!
April 30th, 2008 at 4:03 am
Tini - awesome!
WoRC - thanks sweetie. I didn’t know you guys taught a dumpling class! How friggin’ cool is that?! :)
May 18th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I not only love your style of food. I LOVE your pictures, too. It looks sooooo delicious! I tried to make pictures of my food, too, so I know that this is quite difficult…
I hope it’s okay when I put you in m blogroll?
Lovely Greetings!
May 20th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Sumpfhexe - sure thing. Thanks and I’m glad you like the blog!
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Yes, the entry was long but FABULOUS, particularly since it reinforced most of what I’m doing. The major difference is that I use ground chicken and sometimes no meat of any kind. I realize that this is probably not “Kosher” but once you add sesame oil, soy sauce, and fresh cilantro it tastes great. Also, I make the following alterations: fresh tofu, fresh ginger, fresh water chestnuts, no corn starch. Mine never seem to need it. They hold together fine!
I have taken this on as a major cooking effort, so my family has been humoring me by eating them at least 3 x’s a week. Originally(about 10 years ago) my neighbor Mrs. Shao taught me to make them, but I was always afraid to try to make the dough. It would take all afternoon and it had the feel of a quilting bee. We always made enough to feed the family and then freeze a few dozen. One thing, Mrs. Shao gave up on teaching me to “pleat” the dough. I’m going to follow your directions because even after reading them only once, I understand why I’m not successful at this(I always start the pinch at the end instead of the middle.
My main concern is what kind of pan do you use if you’re making pot stickers? Mrs. Shao always used tefflon. Although nonstick is not my preference, the pot stickers cook and brown wonderfully. What do you use?
June 6th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Georgia - I use a nonstick pan. Glad you found the entry useful :)
August 7th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Oh my god. I just made these [pork filling]. They were holy freaking fabulous. I can’t think of better adjectives to use. I’ve never had these bfore except maybe once or twice in random chinese restaurants, and I’m a novice cook. But they were perfect! They weren’t all perfect looking, but my boyfriend I ate them with a salad and you couldn’t slap the smile off our faces. !!!. I’m making them again tomorrow for my late birthday/Olympics party and I’m tickled that I’ll be making something chinese all by myself for the Beijing Olympics. Love your blog. These are totally do able for everyone. I subbed in some carrots that were in my fridge, since I’m in Mexico from a study abroad semester and couldn’t easily find bamboo shoots. I even lived through the tossing water in the pan part. !
Thanks! couldn’t be happier. seriously. awesome.
August 18th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Marisol - yay! Really glad that you had such a good experience. It’s labor intensive, but isn’t that hard to do. Good for you and happy belated bday!
August 29th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I made your dumpling dough and it was very good, thanks. I streemlined things a bit by rolling out sheets of the dough with my Atlas paste roller/cutter and rolled them to the #2 thickness and cut out the circles with a glass and layed them under plastic wrap and put the circles on a sheet pan covering each layer with plastic wrap. Then using a small meetball scopp put the filling on each one and pinched them up, worked great. I didn’t use your filling yet as I had some leftover sauerkraut and smoked rib and pork meat I filled them with. Boiled then browned in butter.
Here’s a pic of the dough.
Thaks again,
Jon
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x41/Jackitup1/dumplings.jpg?t=1220064852
August 30th, 2008 at 2:36 am
Hi, what is bothering me is that no one says which type of flour to use for the dumplings. How do you all know? I want to make dim sum and I can’t find a recipe to make the pancakes to fill.can anyone ehelp please. Cheers. Jean.
August 31st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Regular flour is fine. I used high glutin flour as that is what I have around for making pizza and breads. It will give a bit more of a chewier texture which I like anyway.
Jon
September 10th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Jon - awesome! Sounds like you’re on your way to becoming a pro.
Jean - sorry love, I have been out with illness for a while. I just use all purpose flour - works great.
September 10th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
[...] use real butter » Blog Archive » chinese dumplings and… You ve inspired me to make homemade potstickers. This allows the potstickers to dry out and crisp up. i spent tonight making potstickers w/ vegetarian filling. To serve: Serve dumplings or potstickers hot with your choice of dipping sauce combinations. I always worry that my plate is going to go flying and shatter on the floor amidst fallen potstickers that the dog would immediately dive into But it… [...]
October 13th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Wonderful! I just made my first batch of dumplings today. Sadly, I didn’t find this recipe until now (and I’m all done, lol)
I found that making dumplings is very time consuming! They seem so simple, what a lie!
I used wonton wrappers and they just looked horrible. I improvised a shrimp filling that tasted alright (but not good at all) I attempted to fry them, but it wasn’t right so I boiled them. They came out okay. Ugly, but okay. They were nothing like the dumplings my friend used to make for me.
So now that I have this recipie in my bookmarks I’m gonna go crazy and make enough to last me this winter!
Thank you so much! :)
October 13th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Sara - Good luck with the recipe. I’m sure you’ll make awesome potstickers!
November 17th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Jenyu ! WOW - I wish I had found your website ages ago ! I have been trying and trying to make chinese dumplings for my chinese-food-crazy toddlers and husband. They never work/never come out right/taste wretched/are too chewey/break etc Your website complete with vivid photos. detailed instructions and basic steps are a godsend - For the first time my family has truly appreciated home made chinese dumplings !!
Thumbs up !
Pillar
November 21st, 2008 at 10:04 am
Pillar - thanks and good on ya!
December 9th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I’m about ready to attempt your wonderfully detailed recipe (once I get a good gluten-free AP flour mix), but a quick question for you - The ingredients list for the shrimp filling says raw, but in your photos it looks like they’ve been slightly cooked. Which is better?
Once I get brave enough to actually try this, I’ll let you know how the gluten-free version is…
December 9th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Jim - oh, sorry about that. Those shrimp are pink when raw (the are… pink shrimp), so they look slightly cooked, but actually, they are raw - definitely keep them raw. Good luck!
December 10th, 2008 at 8:33 am
No problem, and thanks for answering so fast. I’m strictly an East Coast guy, and I’ve only every really seen the gray ones before, so I figured I would ask before burning the heck out of a batch…
January 6th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Great recipe for jiao.zi. I used to live in Taiwan and loved eating platefuls of dumplings after work. Simple and soooo satisfying.
It’s weird, tho. I live here in San Francisco and most of the Chinese restaurants that make dumplings make the skins so that they are too thick. Not delicate at all. Granted, we don’t want the dumplings to fall apart, but there should be a balance. I assume that the restaurants are using store bought mass-produced “skins”. Anyway, flour and water did the trick for us. Weren’t nearly as pretty as yours tho.
Anyway, love your website. Thanks for the tips and the pictures are great.
(BTW, I noticed what seemed like a picture of Taiwan on your blog. Have you been there???)
January 7th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Wonderfully described and illustrated recipe! I’ll have to try your pleating method - I’ve only made potstickers/dumplings a few times but I made them round and gathered at the top. It was easier since no-one showed me how to pleat them. They still tasted good, but were a lot of work! I think it is best to make a big batch and freeze some for later use.
I’ve only made these with beef and would like to try with shrimp/pork. Can I use the baby salted (fermented) shrimps that come in a jar? I’ve had them for a long time and don’t know how to use them. They are so small they wouldn’t need to be diced. I would have to adjust the saltiness, but if I do mainly pork with perhaps 1/4 amount shrimp for flavour it might work…?
January 11th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Sam - thanks! Hmm, I have never been to Taiwan, so it’s doubtful I will have a picture of it.
Leela - You can theoretically use anything in the dumplings, but for the shrimp/pork filling that I make - fresh really is very different from the salted fermented shrimps. The texture and flavor will be completely different, but you could still give it a try.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Thanks! for the recipe!!! I made them and they turn out great!!! Everybody love them! It is a great recipe. Thank you for the pictures and all the tips.
One question, do you know the wonton dough recipe? Thank you
January 26th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Cristina - good for you! That’s awesome and I’m so happy you met with success. Unfortunately, I’ve never made wontons before, so I don’t have a recipe for the dough :(
January 28th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Thank you, Jen! I recently got addicted to Chinese dumplings, but it was getting to be an expensive habit! I made my first today using your recipe and my wife and 3 year old daughter thought they were wonderful. I even used chopsticks to mix the dough and they came out great!!! I will be experimenting with this a lot!!! Thank you so very much!!!
Eddie
January 28th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Eddie - that’s fantastic to hear and awesome that your family liked them. You are very very welcome. Good job!
January 30th, 2009 at 3:25 am
I’m gonna make these today for the Chinese New Year! Hopefully they’ll be yummy!
January 30th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Red - best of luck and I hope you enjoy the fruits of your labor.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Heya - I love your recipes!!! Especially this one! I had fun making it for my boyfriend and his family!
I also parboiled the dumplings and use it for Hotpot!!! Great stuff and love them! Great pictures too!
February 1st, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Glitzer - sounds great!
February 5th, 2009 at 9:23 am
wow! instructions are so simple stated and its seems delicious. I’ll try this recipe for the family. thanks!!! :)
February 5th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Indy - you’re welcome :)
February 7th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Hi, My whole life I have been following my family’s recipe for dumplings. Today, I’ve rebelled against my family tradition by discovering your lovely recipe, which looks packed with flavour. Previously, I have used half the amount of vegetable ingredients, which I found my dumplings to be too dense and meaty tasting. I look forward to spending my Sunday this weekend making dumplings with this new and improved recipe.
Many thanks!
February 9th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Grace - I’m flattered! I hope you enjoy the dumplings.
February 15th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Try using a pasta maker to roll out the dough. Works like a charm on setting 5.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Sandy - I don’t actually like uniform thickness to my dough - I roll them so that the centers are a tad thicker than the edges which may be difficult to achieve with a pasta maker. I’m a control freak anyway ;)
February 18th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
question: what happens if the dumplings stick to the bottom of the pan? i used a generous amount of oil and after it became nicely brown (and not stuck), i added the water, covered and came back a few minutes later to find dumplings stuck to the pan. there was still some water, so i waited until it all cooked off, but the dumplings remained stuck. our pan does suck, it’s a non-stick with many parts no longer non-stick. i was so fed up, i scraped off what i could and threw out the pan. bought a new one. all-clad. williams sonoma. but i wonder, did i do something wrong? any insight?
February 22nd, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Adrienne - well, I usually use a non-stick pan for these so couldn’t tell you about your pan versus an all-clad. Give it a try. I’m sure an all-clad would fare better than a non-stick pan whose stick has unstuck!
February 28th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Hi. My cooking club tried this recipe with pork filling and they were very good. We steamed half and fried half. We extended the cooking times quite a bit, fearing the the still pink pork was not done. Does your pork stay pink?
March 2nd, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Stephanie - the pork when cooked can still be pink. You will notice a difference between pink and raw - but if you want to be on the safe side, use a probe to determine the internal temperature to be sure.
March 6th, 2009 at 1:31 am
Hi Jen,
can i checked 1 cup of water chestnut = hw many chestnut approx?
same with your flour. U mentioned 2 cups.
or can i checked hw big is ur cup to measure the chest nut and the flour
March 6th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Hi Jen,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for this recipe! Although I like my fillings with more soy, pork and sesame oil and without shrimp, these are just about the Chinese delivery dumplings of my New York childhood. Now that I live in Bristol, in the UK, it’s great to be able to make my own — and so much fun!
Thanks!
March 8th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Vivi - well, one cup is 8 ounces. It’s a volume measure. Hope that helps.
Folk - awesome! You’re welcome :)
March 14th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
thanks so much for the tips! i have been making dumplings for several years - but your technique for the dough rolling was new to me -i made dumplings tonight and it turned out perfectly shaped and flattened yet thicker-in-the-middle skins! thanks!
March 14th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
adrienne and all- it is my understanding from a college chemistry class i took tat you should immediately throw out any non-stick pan that has any parts scraped off or peeling. nasty chemicals. a good old fashioned cast iron fry pan that is seasoned well (the trick is to NEVER use any SOAP on it EVER) always works as a non-stick pan for us, though i have always steamed my dumplings, now i’m curious and i must try this potsticker technique!
March 15th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Thanks so much for sharing this tutorial, Jen. I made some today and my family really loved them (made the pork/shrimp) - YUM!!!! I found that it helped to moisen the edges of the dumpling with a little water to help in the folding process. I’ll be making these again and again.
March 15th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
I have to say that this was the best step by step on any recipe I’ve seen. The photo’s were a wodnerfull help, especially for someone like me who has to see something to understand it sometimes.
Only problem, I sent a few dumplings accross the floor while flipping them onto a plate from the frying pan. However I can honestly say, while I really enjoyed the dumplings, so did my cats who caught the escapee’s.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:00 am
HI, Thanks for the reply. did it for e 2nd time with the measuring cup made me realise how stupid i am. Keke cos there a indication for 2 cups on it. Thanks for replying to this silly qns of mine.
Also, i used 2 cups of flour with 1 cup of water. My mum knead the dough and i did the wrapping. They tasted it and mentioned that the skin taste like flour. But the filling is very nice. So what is wrong with my way of doing??
Think i should used premade that can be easily purchase over the supermarket instead till i master the art of making the skin. :)
March 16th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Rachel - that’s fantastic to hear. Glad you had success and enjoyed them.
Beverly - awesome!
Lmai - oh no! I’m glad the kitties could enjoy the potstickers though :) I am a little scared of that flip move too.
Vivi - I don’t know. The skin probably would taste like flour if it’s made of flour, don’t you think? I never even thought about the taste of the skin before.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
jen,
maybe i should be more specific. She say tasted like mee hoon kuay ( mian fen gao).
March 20th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Vivi - okay… I don’t know what that means, really ;)
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:55 am
I just found your sight through some links and I am so glad I did. I studied in Japan for a while and was able to eat these and I love them. I think I’ll make them in the next few weeks and was wondering if there are any helpful hints for a rookie?
March 23rd, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I found your awesome blog last night and decided to make potstickers and scallion pancakes today. They turned out great.. were really easy and yummy. If you have time, check out the outcome on my blog. Of course, it’s not as pretty as yours :)
March 24th, 2009 at 1:38 am
sooooo cool!i love.so many detailed pictures and step!you make it easy!!!!!!!
March 24th, 2009 at 4:59 am
My girlfriend cooked these last night and they were unbelievably wonderful. Thank you!
March 25th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Courtney - um, I think most of the hints I would have are in the post :)
Sey - thanks, so glad you had success!
Chinesefoodfan - thank you :)
Just Cook It - you’re very welcome. Nice job!!
March 26th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
This was an amazing recipe!. Totally worth the long amount of time it took to make. Though the dough recipe was only enough to make about half of the amount of Chinese Dumpling for me.
March 28th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Yummeh - thanks! I think I always use the leftover filling to make meatballs for chinese soup.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Hi Jen,
After a bunch of times repeating this recipe, I have some observations:
* 2 cups of flour’s worth of dough doesn’t go anywhere near enough 1lb of pork. I kept expecting it to when I made the recipe! I find I can get four or five batches of dumplings out of 1lb of pork, more if I add more veggies.
* The hardest bit for dumpling n00bs seems to be the pleating thing. I wonder if you have any suggestions on explaining it so you don’t end up with what I call Stegosaurus Dumplings.
* It might be helpful to note that dumplings swell when cooked, so “bitesize” in uncooked isn’t exactly bitesize when cooked!
Thank you so much again for this recipe. It’s fabulous!
March 31st, 2009 at 9:00 am
Folk - yup, you’re probably right. I suppose I make a double batch of dough for the filling, but I do so many things with the filling (like make meatballs) that it’s hard to keep track. My explanation for pleating is in the photos and text. I think it really requires some practice and experience before you can get the feel for it. They swell a little, but most of the time when I make them the size I want, they come out about that size (they shrink a little when you pull them out of the pan). Cheers!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:02 am
I was very scared when I couldn’t find the old page. Jen you are fantastic! I appreciate the update, and am also pleased that the poisons of Grad School are fading memories!
If you ever come to Sydney it would be my pleasure to cook some dumplings up for you! (does that sound wierd!?)
April 10th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Jono - that’s really kind of you to offer! I have far too many people to visit if I ever make my way back to Sydney ;)
April 11th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
YAAAAY! I love this! I make dumplings at least once a week, and I am making them for my senior graduation party, but I always make them with wonton wrappers because I didn’t know how to make the skins. This is exciting! Thank you so much for your awesome instructions!
April 13th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Becca - great! You’ll love the rolled skins so much better than wonton skins :)
April 19th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Thanks for the step by step pictures! This is my first time making them and they actually look authentic :) I made them with chicken and bought the dough at my local Asian market… will definitely make again. I experimented with pan frying, boiling and steaming. They all look great but the pan fried ones have an edge when it comes to taste. Goes great with chili oil!
April 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
These are fantastic!!!! For white person i did a fab job lol!!! This is great recipe!!!
April 21st, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Meloxi - I have to agree that the pan-fried ones are soooo good :)
Minta - YAAYYY!!
April 29th, 2009 at 8:53 am
[...] When I decided to make some myself, I went straight to the source: Jen from use real butter has an awesome recipe plus photos that make the process really easy. I made the pork dumplings pretty much exactly to [...]
April 30th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I’m so glad I found your site! I’ve always said that most food should come in dumpling-form. I love them. And I am most definitely trying this recipe out in the near future. Thanks!
April 30th, 2009 at 11:38 am
The Pumpernickel - Great! Hope you enjoy these too.
May 8th, 2009 at 3:24 am
Hi, I love this pot stickers recipe. Would it be better and less messy to steam it first and then pan fry it over a non stick pan, rather than pouring the water over a hot pan? Does this way create the same pot stickers?
hear from you soon. Bryan
May 9th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Hi Jenyu,
Thanks so much for this most wonderful post. I’ve always wanted to make dumplings but never knew how to make the filling or do the pleating. I know some people wrote about using wonton skins. If you do use wonton skins will the pleating stick? Do you have to use egg to keep it together?
Also I really want to try your dipping sauce. I LOVE the dumplings that they make in Korean/Japanese restaurants, same thing but called Gyoza or Yakimando but I can never replicate their tasting dipping sauce. Can you take a pic of the Chili garlic paste so I can see what that looks like (jar and outside of the jar) since I’m sure if we have it in Canada the jar will look different.
Thanks so much for this. You rock.
May 9th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Hi Jenyu,
I forgot to ask. Where do you buy the bamboo shoots? I’ve only ever bought bamboo shoots from a can. Is that sufficient i.e. fresh enough? The ones in your picture looks so fresh.
Also, thanks for all the pictures. The sure are helpful. I would have never known what napa cabbage leaves were.
May 9th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Bryan - If you steam first and then fry, you will create more dishes. That said, I also think if you steam then fry, you won’t get as nice of a crunchy bottom. Pouring the water over the hot pan is a simple step and it’s really not that bad if you use a pouring vessel with a spout.
Aha - wonton skins don’t stick as well and are more brittle. In my opinion, they should not be used in dumplings because they are not only inferior, but they suck. If you use store-bought skins, there are specific dumpling skins in Asian grocery stores that probably don’t have egg in them. Most of the chili sauces come from China or Taiwan, so it doesn’t matter if you’re buying them in Canada or the states. You can find pictures of some brands here: http://userealbutter.com/2008/09/07/chinese-tofu-fish-recipe/ and the bamboo shoots I use are usually store-bought in cans unless I can score fresh bamboo shoots in California when I visit.
May 11th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Looks like a great recipe! I look forward to trying it out.
40’s quite a bit, do they freeze well? If so, how long are they good for? I understand you’re probably not a scientist, but have you had any experiences with that?
May 13th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Hi Jen! Thanks for posting up the proportions for the dumpling skins, you saved our dinner :D
Just wanted to also point out something - when we’ve made pot stickers, whether frozen or fresh, what we do is:
- liberally oil a cast/nonstick pan with a few tbsp of cooking oil
- place the dumplings in the pan (I pack them in close, they stick to each other a bit but I don’t personally mind)
- pour boiling water in the pan to half-cover the dumplings
- place the whole thing on the range at about medium-high heat, and cover with a lid till cooked.
- take the lid off and boil off the excess water (which should mostly be gone already)
- the dumplings will get a crunchy bottom shortly after after the water is all gone.
This way the dumplings never spatter from a sudden addition of water to hot oil.
Cheers
May 17th, 2009 at 6:32 am
[...] came across this interesting link with detailed description of steps for chinese dumplings. I took tips from here and made my version [...]
May 17th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Tooo good Jen! lovely explanation!! :)
May 20th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Joh - You’ll probably end up with more than 40, but yes, they freeze well (if you read the post, it discusses how to freeze). Actually, I am a scientist and they are good for up to 3 months if properly sealed, but beyond that will likely experience freezer burn.
Allen - huh, interesting. Thanks for the tip. I may try it, although pouring water into the hot pan isn’t so bad if you have a cup with a spout.
Ria - thanks!
May 20th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
I had some of these from a restaurant today and had to find out how to make they ’cause they were so bloody tasty. Thanks for the step-by-step and detailed picture instructions, I’ll be making these soon!
May 21st, 2009 at 5:00 am
I want to make these to bring to a party this weekend but would like to make them the day before and then steam them at the party. Can I leave them in the refrigerator prepared overnight? Or do I have to freeze them?
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:44 am
Kifda - you’re welcome :)
Aaron - um, I wouldn’t leave them in the fridge overnight - the filling will sog up the dough and then it will all stick together and you will likely cuss, cry, or both. I suggest freezing. It’s not terribly different, just longer cook time. Good luck!
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Jen - Thank you for the detailed instructions! I learned the hard way that I shouldn’t stack up my rolled out dough…but once I re-rolled it all again we were able to fill and shape them. I also noticed that they stuck to the plate while I was making additional dumplings…maybe my dough was too sticky in general? The flavors were great and I’m happy to have some in the freezer for another week. Terrific recipe!
May 27th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Phoo-D - oh, bummer :( Yeah, it may have been a little sticky, but I typically rub the base in flour before setting it on the plate (these buggers get soggy after a while). So happy that you like them!
May 27th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Hi Jen,
Burned the bottoms to an embarrassing degree, and they still tasted wonderful. Great recipe!
June 1st, 2009 at 9:13 am
Tess - thanks! And yeah, there is some leeway, which is probably why I make them ;)
June 1st, 2009 at 12:52 pm
THose are such perfect pleats. I have made these before but am excited to make them again. Mabe if I practice I can achieve these kind of pleats! Beautiful Jenyu!
June 4th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Oh YUM!! These were my family’s dinner tonight. I just finished “Mao’s Last Dancer” (book) and he kept talking about his mom’s fantastic homeade dumplings in it so I was inspired and your recipe was great. One question - I ended up using half ginger and half galangal. We had some galangal in the fridge and there seems like so few opportunities to use it…
Overall, great recipe, great pics. You totally inspired me to make homeade dough - something I NEVER would have attempted before. But now I’m always going to do it that way because it was awesome!
Amy
June 7th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Lori - It just takes a little getting used to. Luckily, when you make dumplings, you have to fold a lot of them - so you get practice and perhaps will perfect them in your first batch? :)
Amy - Not sure what the question was, but in general the filling is pretty flexible which is why I love the “recipe” :) Kudos!
June 13th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
[...] months challenge was brought to us by Jen from use real butter. Jen gave us the challenge of making the entire [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 12:44 am
[...] was hosted by Jen of Use Real Butter and you can see her instructions for making potsickers here and here. However, to make them gluten free, I used Elise’s recipe over at Hey That Tastes [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 12:56 am
[...] is available here. Thanks to Jen at Use Real Butter for [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 2:04 am
[...] in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 2:50 am
[...] You can (and should) reference instructional photos and discussion on my blog post here. [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 6:20 am
[...] to get them really picture-perfect, I was quite pleased with how they turned out. Jen has very thorough instructions (with lots of pictures!) on her blog which helped [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 6:22 am
[...] was easy peasy pie. I did punk out and just used a fork to seal my potstickers, but Jen has some beautiful pictures on her blog showing her folding [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 6:32 am
[...] gorgeous photos that’ll turn you into a dumpling/potsticker Queen/King in no time! Click jen yu’s amazing dumpling/potsticker recipe and instructions for the whole NINE yards of dumpling perfection, and then [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 7:12 am
This post is amazing - thanks so much for it! My family is Chinese, but my mom never taught me how to make potstickers/dumplings (though she was truly a master at it!), so I’ll use your guide to make them on my own. :)
June 14th, 2009 at 8:26 am
[...] You can (and should) reference instructional photos and discussion on Jen’s blog post here. [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
[...] Add about a tablespoon of prepared filling to each disc. Then you fold the dough in half and pinch together to form little purses. There is no need to use egg whites or water to bind the ends because the dough is so fresh and moist. For a tutorial on how to fold your dumplings go here. [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
[...] much cheaper. And it’s really satisfying to make this stuff. Jen mentions in her original dumplings post that her family used to make these every Sunday, with her parents and her grandparents working [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
[...] You can find the recipe for the dumplings/potstickers, along with some great photos, here. [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
[...] sure to checkout Jen’s guide for creating perfect potstickers. Her step-by-step instructions were invaluable to me. Thanks, Jen, for sharing your family recipe [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
[...] the original recipe visit Jen’s blog - Use Real Butter. Below is my version of [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
[...] in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
[...] dough recipe came from sponsor of this challenge, Jen at Use Real Butter. Really, go to her site cause she’s got so much fantastic information regarding [...]
June 15th, 2009 at 12:48 am
[...] center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in this post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp [...]
June 15th, 2009 at 8:44 am
[...] This month was my very first Daring Cooks Challenge! It was something I always wanted to make but was a little unsure how, Chinese Dumplings. The girls and I both had a lot of fun making them. A big thank you to Jen from Use Real Butter for doing an excellent job hosting and providing direction. Anyone interested in trying should check out her original post on chinese dumplings. [...]
June 15th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
[...] really don’t have much to say about this, Jen has such a fabulous description on her blog here (the original recipe) as well as here (the challenge [...]
June 16th, 2009 at 4:04 am
[...] made potstickers before but failed miserably with the pleating. Now…thanks to Jen’s recipe with detailed photos, they now closely resemble the real thing! I love it! I couldn’t help but admire my [...]
June 16th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Hahahahaha - this white person had perfectly round flat pieces of dough - because I used my tortilla press. However, my kids helped stuff and fold so they looked like alien invaders anyway.
June 16th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
[...] in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp [...]
June 16th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
[...] Jen’s post on how to fill and shape the dumplings. I wet the edge of the round with a bit of water to get the edges to stick if the pleating [...]
June 17th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Carmen - that is wonderful! Good for you and I hope you enjoy them.
Mary - hey, whatever works, right?! :) So cool that you got your kids involved. Maybe they will become awesome cooks too!
June 17th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
[...] can be found at The Daring Kitchen, and you can also find some very useful tips and pictures on Jen’s blog. I loved this recipe!…Thanks to my sister, who taught me how to make these wonderful [...]
June 18th, 2009 at 6:25 am
Wow - this is amazing! THANK YOU SO MUCH for such a well-layed out post. It explains it crystal-clear. I’ve never made these before, but I’ll definitely try, thanks to you! merci beaucoup!
June 18th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
GCiP - you’re very welcome :)
June 18th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Hi there…..I made your potstickers the other night, but due to time I used the pre-made wonton wrappers. I followed your recipe for the filling along with the cooking process. I don’t see anyone else complaining of sticking so I must be missing something. I made two batches using two different types of pans. First I used a stainless steel pan and then went for the non-stick. They seemed to really stick after adding the water to the hot oil and not much difference between the pans. Do you have any suggestions? Maybe its because of the pre-made wrappers? We still munched them all up and they were delicious, however just an eye soar to look at.
June 19th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Dumplings are the only chinese food I actually like so this is going to be a must try, although I need to get a steamer basket. Also, can you find bamboo stalks in the grocery store?
June 20th, 2009 at 1:40 am
Hi,
This step-by-step recipe was wonderful!
Thank you so much for making a chinese food a fun and interesting experience!
I will prepare them this weekend!!!
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Jaime - not really sure, but I don’t use wonton wrappers to make these because they contain egg. Perhaps therein lies the problem?
Shannon - you can find them canned and they’re usually labeled bamboo shoots.
Pablo - thanks!
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:33 am
Thank you so much. Now I know how to pleat those potstickers like a pro. I’ve watched so many TV programs but could never master it. Your photos were so helpful and tonight my potstickers looked like those at a Chinese restaurant. Very pretty! I used a store-bought potsticker wrappers this time but will definitely use your wrapper recipe next time. Store-bought ones were too thin and not at all like your pillowy wrappers.
June 23rd, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Hi Jennifer,
I feel an overwhelming urge to hug you right now. I have been looking and looking for something like this for the past year, but none of the recipes or the tutorials I found really seemed right to me. I spent a year living in China and every since the day I left, I’ve been a bit twitchy about not getting my weekly dumpling fill. And I agree, wonton wrappers just don’t cut it when you want real dumplings.
Seriously, I want to eat your photographs. I CANNOT wait to make these. Thank you thank you thank you thank you!
Also, I really love the design of your site.
Emily
June 26th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Marsha - congratulations! I really think anyone can make these, just takes a little patience :)
Emily - you’re very welcome and thanks for dropping by!
June 29th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Thanks so much! i made pork and spinach dumplings for a potluck with my friends and your tutorial on pleating the dumpling helped a lot!
love yr blog and am linking you if u dont mind!
June 29th, 2009 at 10:03 am
[...] followed these extremely clear instructions from Use Real Butter. Did you know Guo Tie = Potstickers? It took a long time before I made the [...]
June 30th, 2009 at 8:22 am
B.Rueh - mmm, spinach sounds great. Nope, I don’t mind the linking and thanks for the comment!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
[...] 1. Take at least one yoga class 2. Learn how to cook 5 new dishes 3. Bake my own bread 6 times 4. Walk the distance of the Appalachian trail 5. Graduate from my master’s program 6. Write a letter to 3 friends for no reason 7. Read 10 books for fun 8. Go to 3 movies by myself (I never do this) 9. Go to at least one concert 10. Write a blog post at least twice a month every month 11. Try to grow my own indoor herb garden 12. Update my progress on my 101 in 1001 every month 13. Be active for 30 minutes at least 3 days a week 14. Patronize local vendors at least 6 times a year 15. Visit the Joslyn Art Museum 16. Make my own yogurt 17. Lose 15% of my starting body weight 18. Go to 10 local restaurants I haven’t yet tried 19. Participate in one “walk” (eg. Crop Walk, Walk for a Cure, etc) 20. Donate blood 6 times 21. Create a recipe & post it on my blog 22. Spend 6 weekends without going online 23. Find a religious community I feel comfortable with 24. Attend that community every Sunday for a month 25. Track all my expenses for 2 months 26. Create a budget that reduces my current expenses and increases my savings 27. Buy an article of clothing or an accessory in a color I never normally would 28. Have a picnic 29. Spend 15 minutes in nature outside the city doing nothing but listening 30. Organize my digital world. My files are a complete mess! 31. Learn to make 4 new vegetarian or vegan recipes 32. Take the bus instead of the car 10 times 33. Pass on a few things I want and do a Kiva loan 34. Floss. Every day. No excuses. 35. Go for one week without complaining 36. Replace one household or toiletries product with a more eco-friendly option 37. Learn how to wax my eyebrows at home (Don’t judge :-p ) 38. Make potstickers see here: userealbutter.com [...]
July 2nd, 2009 at 2:40 am
[...] went straight to the recent host of the Daring Cooks, Jen at Use Real Butter for her dumpling recipe. First flour is sifted, and some water poured [...]
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Thanks so much for the post. The dumplings made a great Top Chef party meal, and were pretty easy to make with your instructions. What a wonderful share.