Pot Stickers / Guotie - Wrapped # 1

Recipe recreated in July 2011

I first learnt to make these when I was 13 or 14. I forgot exactly when.

My friend, LSP's mom is a Taiwanese. She doesn't call these pot stickers, but instead as ShuiJiao.

To celebrate LSP's birthday, her mom, Mrs Loh organized a "ShuiJiao" session at her home. A few of us were invited over to make your own and eat your own dumplings. Since it was a first for most of us, we made the skin thick and fillings miniscule. LOL. Kids!

I was young back then. Some creative fellas even made squarish dumplings,  mushrooms and duck shaped ones. It was immense fun! And immensely sweaty because Mrs Loh made some kick ass chilli sauce with her own birds eye chilli from the garden. It wasn't for once. Mrs Loh had us over a few times to make Shui Jiao.

FYI, it was the same Mrs Loh who taught me how to make Arrowhead Chips back in the early 90's.

LSP, please please send my regards to Mrs Loh and a big big thank you from me.

But for the pleating technique, it was another friend's mom who taught me back in early 1996. It's Simon's mom, Mrs Tan. We went over for a session of making Chai Kuih while waiting for our SPM results.

It seemed that I did pick up quite a bit from mothers of my friends... LOL. Yes, I still have a few mothers for other recipes. Not forgetting Alyssa's mother for Longan Tofu

And nowadays, I'm no longer that kid I was once and I'd say, my dumpling skins are no longer as thick and I think I've got the technique quite right by now. Practice makes perfect and I have yet to make mine all perfect.

Pot Stickers

Recipe source: Wendyywy
Inspired by: Mrs Loh Sun Chai
Yields: 30 pieces

Wrapper dough
400gm all purpose flour
200gm water
¾ tsp salt
1 Tbsp oil

Filling
300gm minced pork
150gm Chinese chives, chopped
1 tsp salt
Good dash of pepper
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 egg
½ Tbsp sesame oil

1. Prepare wrapper dough. Mix salt with water. Put flour into mixing bowl, make a well in the center. Pour salt water and oil into the well. Combine to form a dough. Knead until a smooth dough forms. Cover and let dough rest for 1 hour.
2. Prepare filling. Combine everything.
3. Divide dough into 30 pieces, about 20gm each. Roll each piece into a ball. (Line up the balls so that you know which was formed first)
4. Roll balls of dough flat, about 2mm thick. (If dough resist to be rolled out, let it rest for another 5 minutes). Gently peel dough off the table, the circumference will slightly shrink.
5. Place a tablespoon of filling onto rolled-out dough and pinch the middle together.
6. Pleat the front part of the dough (refer picture below), pinch the seams to seal.
7. Lightly flour the bottom of the dumpling and place on a tray. (I line the tray with non stick baking paper) Cover it to prevent the raw dumplings from drying out.
8. To cook dumplings. Heat a pan on medium heat and put in 2 Tbsp of cooking oil. Place dumplings in pan. Let it fry for a while and then put in ½ cup water. Cover with lid and cook until water dries up. Let dumplings fry in the remaining oil until the base is golden and crunchy.
9. Dish up and serve warm with Mrs Loh’s Guotie Chilli Dipping Sauce.



the fillings



Wrapping Technique

Frying Technique

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #19

DimSum Affair

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