Pork and Ginger Pot Stickers

Ming’s family-favorite pan-fried dumplings, crisp on the bottom and stuffed with a juicy pork-and-ginger filling.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground pork
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 package (about 40) round dumpling wrappers

Small bowl of water, for sealing

• 3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil, for pan-frying
• 1 cup water or chicken stock, for steaming
• Dipping sauce: 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce, sliced scallions

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, ginger, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, egg, salt, and white pepper. Mix with chopsticks or your hand in one direction until the filling is sticky and cohesive.
2. Fry a teaspoon of filling in a small pan and taste; adjust seasoning as needed.
3. Place a rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Moisten the edge with water, fold into a half-moon, and pleat the front edge while pressing to seal. Set seam-up on a floured tray and repeat.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange dumplings flat-side down in a single layer and fry until the bottoms are golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Carefully add 1/3 cup water (it will spatter), cover, and steam 6 to 7 minutes until the water evaporates and the filling is cooked through.
6. Uncover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer crisp-side up to a platter.
7. Whisk the dipping sauce ingredients together and serve alongside the hot pot stickers.

Notes

Based on Ming Tsai’s family pot sticker recipe; his mother Iris taught him to mix the filling in one direction for the best texture.