What is a potsticker to you?

[Hyperion]

I have seen potstickers served in American tables many times before, and I have to say that many interpretation of this Chinese dish is incorrect. I wonder what is a potsticker to you? Is it :

A deepfried chinese dumpling?
A boiled dumpling browned in a pan afterward?
Or something else?

 

[Andy M.]

A boiled dumpling browned in a pan afterward?

I would say steamed them browned in a hot pan.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Browned first and then steamed.

 

[Hyperion]

Browned first and then steamed.

you got it right lol. they are actually browned and steam in the SAME pan

 

[vitauta]

yes, boiled, then lightly fried.

 

[jennyema]

Boiled or steamed first, then wok-fried.

That way they can offer you the non-fried option on the menu. Which toomany people opt for, IMO

 

[Hyperion]

I don't know if anyone cares for the traditional/authentic way of making pot stickers

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I don't know if anyone cares for the traditional/authentic way of making pot stickers

To each their own...if we all liked the same things, life would be boring and we'd have nothing to discuss.

One thing I've learned, when it comes to food, there is no right or wrong way.

 

[Hyperion]

To each their own...if we all liked the same things, life would be boring and we'd have nothing to discuss.

One thing I've learned, when it comes to food, there is no right or wrong way.

on the other hand, if everyone insists on his/her own way of doing things, there's no point of discussing either... discussing is for sharing ideas/knowledge that other people would like to learn

 

[spork]

Browning first is what makes them stick to the pan. Which, to me, is a PIB if your pan isn't hot enough or if your dumplings don't have a dry coat of flour. When I mess up, trying to scrape them off and disintegrating them in the process is very ugly and disheartening. One of my pet peeves is a restaurant calling a deep-fried, commercially frozen, dumpling a "potsticker." It should also be plated with the crispy browned bottom facing up, but mostly, I too say, "to each their own" as long as the filling tastes good.

 

[Hyperion]

Browning first is what makes them stick to the pan. Which, to me, is a PIB if your pan isn't hot enough or if your dumplings don't have a dry coat of flour. When I mess up, trying to scrape them off and disintegrating them in the process is very ugly and disheartening. One of my pet peeves is a restaurant calling a deep-fried, commercially frozen, dumpling a "potsticker." It should also be plated with the crispy browned bottom facing up, but mostly, I too say, "to each their own" as long as the filling tastes good.

I think if you use the wrappers bought from asia market, or just use their frozen dumplings, you might get into the disintegration problem. Those wrappers they sell/use simply don't have the required strength to hold together, and are only suitable for steaming.

I make my dumplings from scratch. Besides, if you do the potsticker the traditional way (brown and then steam), the dumplings needs to be shaped differently to cook through.

 

[spork]

I once invited a cadre of good friends who were Jewish to a Friday night session of D&D with finger foods. I made pork-filled potstickers. The tequila bottle was half gone by the end when the level-up monster had been defeated, but my big plate of potstickers had hardly been touched. We spent the next 30 minutes for Domino's pizza to arrive discussing theirs and mine culture's pork stigma.

 

[Hyperion]

I once invited a cadre to friends who were Jewish to a Friday night session of D&D with finger food. I made pork-filled potstickers. The tequila bottle was half gone by the end when the level-up monster had been defeated, but my big plate of potstickers had hardly been touched. We spent the next 30 minutes for Domino's pizza to arrive discussing theirs and mine culture's pork stigma.

so they don't eat pork?

 

[Hyperion]

The correct way:

POT STICKERS

• 1 package won-ton wrappers
• 1/2 pound ground pork, turkey or beef, OR chopped chicken, fish, shrimp, or tofu
• 3 scallions, sliced on the bias
• 1/2 head napa cabbage or bok choy, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp chopped water chestnut or bamboo shoots or bean sprouts, or any combination
• 2 Tbs soy sauce Use light soy sauce for chicken or shrimp
• 2 egg whites, slightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 Tbs cornstarch dissolved in 5 Tbs rice wine, dry white wine, or sherry
• peanut oil for frying (optional)
• 3 cups chicken stock

Brown ground pork, beef, or turkey until dry and crumbly, or cook the chopped chicken, fish shrimp, or tofu in frying pan or wok. Place in bowl with chopped cabbage, scallion, ginger, water chestnut, soy sauce, egg white, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper, cornstarch and wine. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Place 1 Tbs of filling on each won-ton wrapper and fold into triangle, or if you want be fancy, fold corners toward middle Pinch edges together tightly, and use fork tines to seal. Heat two inches peanut oil in frying pan or pot, put dumpling in hot oil seam side up, and cook until browned lightly on bottom. Take pan off heat and slowly add chicken stock to cover. Place back on heat and poach until wonton wrapper are almost transparent, then remove to paper towels to drain.

at least use a wire rack instead of paper towl...

to be honest, being a chinese, sometimes it's entertaining to see how our own food gets transformed by westerners

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I have seen potstickers served in American tables many times before, and I have to say that many interpretation of this Chinese dish is incorrect. I wonder what is a potsticker to you? Is it :

A deepfried chinese dumpling?
A boiled dumpling browned in a pan afterward?
Or something else?

It's a dumpling made with meat and various vegetables, sealed in a wonton wrapper, pan fried in peanut oil until the bottoms are browned, then poached in water or stock until transparent.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

at least use a wire rack instead of paper towl...

to be honest, being a chinese, sometimes it's entertaining to see how our own food gets transformed by westerners

Then why don't you just post your recipes and techniques instead of making fun of people and pointing fingers? Or do you just get a charge from belittling folks?

 

[Hyperion]

Then why don't you just post your recipes and techniques instead of making fun of people and pointing fingers? Or do you just get a charge from belittling folks?

I didn't mean that. I wanted to post the original way, but I don't want to receive emails saying "hey you think you are the expert?"

trust me, it happened before.

 

[Hyperion]

to everyone: sorry if I sounded like AH.. My intention is to share what I know about pot sticker, but I don't know how to do it without offending people, since I apparently offended someone by posting my pizza technique. I wish there's a sub forum where you can just post your own recipes or something, without assuming yourself an expert.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Up at the top on the blue bar, under Misc. is Ethnic Foods and all the rest of the food catagories.

 

[Andy M.]

If you're browning the pot stickers in two inches of oil, you would have to drain all the oil before you add the chicken stock or you will have a huge mess and possibly serious burns.