Pork Pot Stickers

 You can certainly make these with store bought won ton wrappers but, why not try making the dough. It is really easy and tastes so much better. I have made the filling with very lean pork tenderloin that I have chopped up by hand. You can make a simple soy dipping sauce to serve them with.

 Once made the pot stickers can be frozen or cooked by frying briefly and then steaming in a bit of water. They have a great crunchy, brown bottom and a soft juicy interior. You wont be able to stop eating them!

You will need:

• 300 grams of pork tenderloin - chopped fine
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/4 tsp fresh pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic chopped fine/or crushed
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 spring onion/scallion - chopped fine
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped bok choy or spinach

Dough

• 1 1/2 cups flour - all purpose
• generous pinch of salt
• 220 ml of boiling water

Dipping sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1-2 tbsp chili oil
• pinch of sugar

Step 1: slice the cleaned tenderloin (you only need a small one) and then chop into smaller pieces. You can use two knives to almost mince the tender meat by hand.

Step 2: add all your flavourings to the tenderloin in a small bowl. Add: baking soda, corn starch, salt, pepper, sugar, water, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, spring onion, soy sauce, Worcestershire, sesame oil and either finely sliced baby bok choy or baby spinach. Stir and set aside.

Step 3: in a large bowl add flour, salt and boiling water. Start by stirring ingredients in the bowl then turn out onto the counter. Knead the dough 5 minutes until soft and smooth. If you need a bit more flour you can add it. Wrap in plastic and let sit in fridge 30 minutes.

Step 5: divide ball in half and work one half at a time. Leave the other half wrapped in the plastic to avoid the dough from drying out. Take the half and roll into a log. Cut the dough into half and keep diving each piece in half until you have 16 balls. With a rolling pin and flour to prevent sticking try to create roundish pot stickers (they don't have to be perfect but, aim for a round) 

Step 6: take a teaspoon or so of filling (this one probably needs a bit more filling) place on the piece of dough held in your hand and flatten the meat with the spoon slightly. 

Pinch the centre to hold it in place.

then going from centre to each edge, make small folds and pinch to close. The folds are made only on one side of the dough.

then seal the other side starting from the centre, again folding until you reach the edge. You should now have a cute little sealed dumpling. This dough is nice and soft and does not require water to seal it. You should get a dumpling that forms a fat half moon shape with a flat bottom so it will stand up.

 Repeat 35 more times until you are done.

Place finished dumplings on a generously floured sheet pan and do not let them touch each other to avoid sticking. I like to freeze them on the pan for at least 15 minutes even if I am going to cook them right away. If you want to save them for another day. Once they are frozen remove them from the sheet pan and place into a Ziploc bag.

Step 7: heat a large pan (one that has a lid) with a bit of oil and place the pot stickers in the pan. Cook until the bottom gets browned. Once browned add about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of water to pan and cover. Cook until water evaporates and you can hear them sizzle again. 

Serve with a simple dipping sauce and enjoy hot!