Reducipe – Pork Potstickers With Tangy Ginger Lime Sauce

Posted on February 22, 2008 by Melissa
Filed Under Food, Reducipes

Now THAT’S a potsticker! I decided to post this particular recipe this week because it is one of the ones featured in my upcoming catering gig (I modified it for vegetarians). I’ve been working on this recipe for years and it’s so good that we think it will be the crowd favorite at the event.

Potstickers are an inexpensive way to “wow” a crowd. They take a little effort to construct but it is well worth it.

They make lovely appetizers (and hors d’Oeuvres when cut in half and served on a chinese soup spoon with the sauce) but Eric and I usually make a meal out them. We just can’t stop at 2 or 3! He even likes to pour the remaining sauce over the leftover cabbage and potstickers to make a “potsticker salad” the next day.

This recipe produces a flavorful and juicy potsticker thanks to the pork and seasonings. I tend to generously season the filling because the dipping sauce paired with it isn’t the usual soy-based style. That means that the potsticker is seasoned well enough to stand on it’s own.

The dipping sauce combines sweet, sour, and fresh flavors. It’s tangy, bright, and intense. It’s one of those sauces that is so flavorful that you can’t get enough of it but if you had it everyday you would burn out fast. It pairs beautifully with the pork and is guaranteed to surprise and please.

Melissa’s Pork Potstickers

1 1/2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 lb ground pork (avoid lean)
2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and finely grated (minced ok)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 splash rice vinegar
1 squirt sriracha (or hot chili sauce)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 egg
Gyoza wrappers
1 cup chicken broth
Canola oil

Sprinkle cabbage with salt and let stand for about 30 minutes. Place cabbage in a dishtowel or cheesecloth and squeeze out any water. In large bowl mix the cabbage with the other ingredients except for the gyoza wrappers, canola oil, and chicken broth. Set up your work station with a small bowl of water, gyoza wrappers, filling, and a large cookie sheet.

Using a teaspoon, place a small mound of filling in the center of a gyoza wrapper (figure 1). Do not overfill. Using your finger, wet one edge of the wrapper with a little water. Fold over wrapper, press out any air, and seal the edge to make a half moon shape (figure 2). Crimp the edge of the potsticker into pleats to help seal it (figure 3). Set aside on cookie sheet and cover with a damp towel to keep the potstickers from drying out while you make the rest.

Coat a hot sauté pan with some canola oil and place potstickers down flat in the pan. Brown one side over medium heat. When they appear golden add about 1/8 cup chicken broth to the pan and quickly cover to steam. It will splatter! Allow to steam for 2-3 minutes. Uncover and let the potstickers fry until the underside is crisp again. Serve immediately with the Tangy Ginger Lime Sauce.

Makes roughly 30 potstickers (more if you go lighter on the filling). Serves 10 as an appetizer (or 2-3 for dinner).

If this is your first time making potstickers, don’t get frustrated if you have trouble with filling and crimping. Your first attempts may not work out. Practice really does help. Just remember not to overfill. If any filling squirts out when you fold or crimp the potsticker, just start over with a new wrapper and less filling. The wrapper won’t seal very well if filling touches the edges and may open when cooked.

My potstickers are best when pan fried on one flat side while the other side gets the steam treatment. It makes for a wonderful texture contrast of chewy and crispy. I much prefer this method over plain steaming or deep frying.

I prefer using gyoza wrappers (round Japanese dumpling wrappers) because they are very thin and delicate. I can find the gyoza wrappers in my fresh produce section with the Asian foods. They may be found frozen, too. You may have to check your local Asian market if your regular grocery doesn’t carry it. If you simply can not find gyoza you can substitute wonton or potsticker wrappers. Avoid thicker wrappers (like egg roll) because it will make the finished product taste doughy.

The potstickers are also fabulous with a little shrimp added in place of some of the pork. The original versions of this recipe included shrimp but over time I thought straight pork was easier (and tastier) because I rarely had leftover shrimp. Adding shrimp cuts some of the richness and results in a lighter potsticker.

Tangy Ginger Lime Sauce

1 cup tomatoes, peeled and petite diced (canned ok)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons cilantro
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3-4 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 splash soy sauce

Combine all ingredients in a small non-reactive bowl. Stir well then whisk until sugar dissolves. Let the sauce sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to let the flavors marry before serving.

Definitely let the sauce set before serving because the flavors seem to get better over time. Leave at room temp for serving but refrigerate any leftovers.

The best way to get finely grated ginger is with a Microplane Grater/Zester. It transforms the fresh ginger into a pulp. If you don’t have a microplane you can finely mince the ginger and it will be fine.

I like to bite off one end of the potsticker, and using a spoon, I fill up the inside of the potsticker with the chunky sauce. Sure, it drips down my hand and makes a mess but I don’t care. It’s a great way to get more of the sauce in each bite.

Ingredient	Cost	Ingredient	Cost
Cabbage	$0.99	Gyoza Wrappers	$1.99
Pork	$0.89	Chicken Broth	$0.49
Ginger	$0.30	Eggs	$0.11
Garlic	$0.25	Tomato	$0.59
Green Onions	$0.69	Limes	$1.00
Cilantro	$0.45	Rice Vinegar	$0.25
Soy Sauce	$0.10	Jalapenos	$0.06
Sesame Oil	$0.15	Spices/Sugar	N/A
		Total	$8.31 or ~$0.83 a serving

If you really want to stretch this recipe, increase the amount of cabbage and you could get even more servings out of it. It’s amazing that you can make such a great tasting and well received appetizer for so cheap. It isn’t as inexpensive as peanut butter on celery but this is so much more impressive to serve. Enjoy!

Comments

5 Responses to “Reducipe – Pork Potstickers With Tangy Ginger Lime Sauce”

Fianna on February 23rd, 2008 10:39 am

I am thrilled with this recipe. I cannot wait to try it. I love your Reducipes and get a smile on my face every time I see that you have posted one. Thanks!!
Stephanie on February 24th, 2008 7:20 am

These look fabulous! Potstickers are a favorite, but I’ve never tried to make them!
debtdieter on February 24th, 2008 2:12 pm

Yum, yum yum! That’s me sorted for next weekend, potstickers are on the menu!
SavingDiva on February 25th, 2008 11:23 am

Wow! These look delicious! I’m definitely going to have to try out this recipe!
Kris in JP on March 31st, 2008 5:11 pm

I made these and they were delicious! I would never have even attempted to make these if I didn’t see your pictures and how easy it is to make them.

The sauce was a bit too acidic for me, though it was still good, and you gave good instructions about how to fry the dumpling on one side and steam the other.

Thanks for sharing, it was fun to make!