I’ve always loved pot stickers, but I was skeptical when we decided to try a vegetarian version. We got it right on the first try, and that doesn’t happen often. Your meat-eating friends won’t even care that these are vegetarian, because they’re pretty darn good dumplings, if I do say so myself.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 30 pot stickers
Ingredients
Pot Stickers
Dipping Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the pot stickers: Peel the onion, cut it in half, then cut it into thin slices. Cut the ends off the mushroom stems, discard, and cut the mushrooms into thin slices.
Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, ginger, and cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until the cabbage is soft. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Lay a wonton wrapper on a work surface, dip your finger in water, and wet the entire edge of the wrapper. Place a small spoonful of the cabbage mixture in the center and fold the wrapper in half to enclose the mixture. Firmly press the edges to seal, and just before you seal it completely, push gently around the filling to remove any air pockets. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. Lay the finished pot stickers on a baking sheet, keeping them separate so they don’t stick together.
Step 4
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully lower a few of the pot stickers into the water using a slotted spoon and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they float to the top. Remove the pot stickers with the slotted spoon and place on the baking sheet.
Step 5
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place some of the pot stickers in the pan in a single layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown on one side, then transfer to a serving plate and repeat the process with the remaining pot stickers.
Step 6
To prepare the sauce: Trim the green onions, discarding the ends, and cut the white and about 1 inch of the green part into thin slices. Place the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and canola oil in a small bowl and stir well. Sprinkle with the green onions.
Step 7
Serve the pot stickers hot, with the sauce alongside.
food trivia
Step 8
Ancient Romans celebrated the medicinal qualities of cabbage. They believed that it should be eaten raw with vinegar. (Can you say coleslaw?) They also liked to make a poultice of raw cabbage paste, place it in a cabbage leaf, and wrap it around an inflamed area to reduce the discomfort. Maybe this worked because it smelled so bad people forgot about the pain.
