Easy Pork Potstickers with Quick-Pickled Red Cabbage and Carrots

At first glance, potstickers might sound and look like they take a lot of work to make. Truthfully, they are very simple and not very time-consuming, especially if you have someone to help you, essentially creating a mini-assembly line, to stuff and fold them. I don’t make them very often, but when I do, I like to make enough so that I can make them a few days that week, or enough that I have some left to reheat the next day. This recipe for the filling will be about enough for a pack of wonton wrappers.

Potstickers really are a welcomed addition to my weeknight dinner menu (which can get a little mundane sometimes). This recipe is pretty much for a basic potsticker, but you can add or substitute almost anything in the filling and cook it the exact same way, which is what’s so great about it. I don’t worry so much about fancy pleated folds that you often see on potstickers. I stick to the simple fold-over method, which is pretty much fool-proof. Besides, it all ends up in your stomach anyway! I like to pair this dish with a side of quick-pickled cabbage and carrots. It’s easy to make, so you can focus most of your attention on the potstickers.

Ingredients:

For the potstickers:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 package of wonton wrappers
• 1 cup of red cabbage, minced (Note: here is a tip on how to cut cabbage)
• 1 thumb of ginger (approximately 2.5 tbsp), peeled and then minced or finely grated
• 2 tbsp of garlic, minced or pressed
• The white part of 6 scallions, thinly sliced (only the white part is used for the potsticker filling, but keep the rest for the other part of the recipe)
• 1 lb of ground pork
• 1/4 cup of water for the filling, plus another 1/4 to 1/2 cup to add to the pan while cooking
• 1 tbsp of canola oil, for frying
• 1 tbsp of sesame oil, for frying

For the quick-pickled red cabbage and carrots:

• 2 cups of red cabbage, quartered and then shredded
• 2 large carrots, grated using a large hole grater
• 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp of sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the dipping sauce:

• The green part of 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp of sugar

Directions:

1. To prepare the quick-pickled red cabbage and carrots, in a large bowl, mix the shredded red cabbage, carrots, rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Once mixed, place in the refrigerator and allow to sit until everything else is done. Remove from the refrigerator and stir every so often. Typically, I will taste it when I return to stir it, so I can add more salt and pepper as needed. The longer this sits, the better it will be.
2. To prepare the sauce, stir together the soy sauce, sesame oil, scallion greens and sugar with a whisk. Set aside.
3. To prepare the potstickers, in a separate large bowl, combine the ground pork, sliced scallion whites, ginger, garlic, minced cabbage, 1/4 cup of water, and 2 tbsp of soy sauce.
4. Once the filling is combined, lay a wonton wrapper out on a plate and stuff it with approximately 1 tsp of the filling. It is important not to overstuff the potstickers, as much as you might want to, because they will fall apart while cooking. With your finger, dab a thin layer of egg on the edges of the wrapper. Fold in half (making it a triangle) and press the edges together with your fingers to seal. Set aside the prepared potsticker on a plate. Continue to stuff the wonton wrappers until you’ve used all your filling.
5. In a large pan, add 1 tbsp of canola oil and 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer, then begin adding the prepared potstickers to the pan flat-side down. Once you’ve added as many potstickers as you can fit (it’s okay if they touch), let them cook for about 1-2 minutes until the bottoms are lightly brown, then flip over and allow to cook for another 1-2 minutes, again until they’re lightly brown. Reduce the heat to low, and add 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of water (the amount you add will depend on the size of your pan, but make sure the potstickers are sitting in shallow water, and don’t worry, extra water won’t hurt). Cover and let the potstickers simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the cover, turn the heat back up to medium-high, and allow the rest of the water to evaporate. Once the water has evaporated, allow the bottoms of the potstickers to become brown and crispy. Flip over and repeat on the other side. Once they are the desired color and crispness, remove from the pan.
6. Remove the quick-pickled red cabbage and carrots from the fridge, and plate together with the potstickers. Serve with the dipping sauce & enjoy!

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