Chinese Seven Treasure

Makes 4 dozen potstickers

If you eat shrimp, you can add 1/2 pound peeled, de-veined and coarse-chopped raw shrimp to the pan as you cook the vegetables. Or add 1/4 cup Chinese black salted beans that you soak in cold water 15 minutes and rinse well before incorporating. Increase the chili paste for a spicy version. Or add 1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts or 2 tablespoons peanut butter.

ingredients

Ingredients:
2 package dumpling/pot sticker wrappers
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese wine)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic or 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, crushed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
1/2 medium onion, minced
1/2 small head green cabbage or 3 to 4 heads baby bok choy, cored and coarsely chopped
3 large dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms reconstituted in warm water, drained and minced
1/2 cup Chinese garlic chives or scallions, minced
1 carrot, peeled and grated

directions

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Procedure:
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1. In a non-reactive bowl, combine mirin, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili paste, soy sauce and cornstarch. Stir until smooth; set aside.
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2. Heat canola oil in a non-reactive large skillet or wok over high heat.
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3. Add garlic, ginger root, onions, cabbage, mushrooms, chives and carrots.
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4. Sauté 3 minutes until vegetables are tender and browned slightly.
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5. Add mirin mixture and continue to sauté 1 minute until sauce is slightly thickened.
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6. Remove from heat and cool before handling.
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7. Filling can be made a few days before using.

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Preparation Notes:
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1. The wrappers: Square and round dumpling wrappers can be found fresh in the supermarket produce section and frozen in Asian markets. There are several different kinds, so read labels. Some are vegan, some loaded with coloring, MSG (monosodium Glutemate) and chemicals. Buyer beware. Defrost the wrappers in your refrigerator and keep them dry so they are easier to stuff. A 1-pound package contains 8 or 9 dozen wrappers depending on their thickness. I like to select at least two varieties of wrappers and stuff them with different fillings.
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2. The fillings: I offer a recipe for Chinese Seven Treasure Filling. It’s a great vegetarian option to which you can add your choice of ingredients. All the vegetables needed for this recipe can be found in the produce section of your grocery store, but I recommend buying them in Asian stores where they usually are fresher. Chinese garlic chives are wonderful in place of scallions. Use them if you can find them. If you see other ingredients — dried mushrooms, interesting vegetables — be adventurous and add them. Almost anything goes in a potsticker.
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3. Filling: Place several dumpling wrappers on a clean, dry work surface in front of you. With a small brush or your finger, moisten the edges of the wrappers. Place 1 tablespoon filling in the center of each wrapper. If filling a round wrapper by hand, pull up the sides of the wrapper around the filling and pinch the skin in pleats until you form a secure package. Make sure the seam is sealed so the filling doesn’t leak out during cooking.
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4. If using a dumpling mold, simply place the round wrapper in the machine, moisten its edge, add filling and close the machine to fold and seal the wrapper around the filling.
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5. Square wrappers have to be shaped by hand. Fold one corner to meet the opposite corner forming a turnover or triangular shape. Press to seal the edges. Then bring the points together and press to seal into a ring shape; it will look like a tortellini.
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6. To store: Transfer the dumplings or potstickers to a lightly floured baking pan and cover with a dampened cloth. Freeze potstickers in a single layer until solid and transfer to a freezer bag.
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7. To cook: Although you can fry these in oil, I prefer to steam them. Bamboo or metal steamers are great because they have two levels, so you can cook more at one time. Place a large cabbage leaf on the bottom of the steamer basket and place the potstickers on top of it. Cover and steam 8 to 10 minutes until heated through.