Colm O'Gorman: My step-by-step guide to making perfect Chinese potsticker dumplings

They are perfect for entertaining a crowd and can be made a day a head of serving

Authentic Chinese dumplings are easier than you think

Summer is finally on the way. Time for long lazy days in the garden and dinner outside. Maybe also time to have a few friends and neighbours over? I am looking forward to a much more social summer this year and seeing friends and family whom I have not been able to spend time with over the past few years. 

Planning a bigger get together can be a bit daunting and feeding everyone can be a challenge though. As much as I love cooking for people, I do not want to spend all my time alone in the kitchen while everyone else is outside enjoying the weather and each other’s company. So, I will plan food that I can prepare well in advance and then cook in minutes. 

These Pork and Prawn Potsticker Dumplings are perfect for this. They do take some time to prepare but can be made a day ahead and then only take minutes to cook. I love making them. Stuffing and folding the dumplings does take a little time, but I find it quite meditative and satisfying. The filling is delicious, a classic combination of pork and prawn with ginger and spring onion. Your family and friends will love them.

This recipe makes about 35 to 40 dumplings. Three to four per person is plenty as an appetiser or a snack, so scale down the recipe to suit the number of people you want to feed. If I am making them just for the four of us at home, I generally make half the amount in this recipe, and we eat the lot.

I advise that you buy the dumpling wrappers rather than make them. It will save you a lot of time and fiddling about. They are available in the frozen section of any good Asian supermarket, usually labelled as wonton or dumpling wrappers. Just defrost them in the fridge the day before you plan to make the dumplings. Use raw king prawns that have been shelled and deveined, those are widely available in local supermarkets.

For the dip, try to find some Chinkiang vinegar. This black Chinese vinegar has a fabulous flavour. Again, you will find that in most Asian supermarkets nowadays. If you cannot get any, regular rice wine vinegar is a good substitute.

Pork and prawn potsticker dumplings

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

These delicious bite-sized dumplings are perfect for entertaining a crowd

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 35 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 5 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Chinese

Ingredients

• 400g pork mince

• 200g raw king prawns

• 30g ginger 

• 3 spring onions

• 1 tsp ground white pepper

• 1tbsp rice wine or dry sherry

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1tsp of toasted sesame oil

• 35-40 wonton or dumpling wrappers

• For the dip:

• 90ml black rice vinegar

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp finely grated ginger

• 1 red chilli finely chopped

• 1 tbsp runny honey

• To serve:

• Some toasted sesame seeds, finely sliced red chilli and a little chopped spring onion.

Method

1. Roughly chop the prawns, to about the same size of as you would chop an onion. Trim and finely slice the spring onion. Peel and grate the ginger. Combine the pork, chopped prawns, spring onion, ginger, white pepper, soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil in a big bowl and mix them all together well.

2. Time now to assemble your dumplings. Keep a bowl of cold water to the side that you will use to moisten and then seal the dumplings. Take a dumpling wrapper and place a teaspoon of the pork and prawn filling in the centre.

3. Use a finger to wipe water all around the edges of the dumpling wrapper. Now fold the wrapper in half to create a half-moon shape, push all the air out of the dumpling and then seal it by pressing the wet edges together firmly. Make sure the edges are well sealed. If you want to keep it very simple, that is it, you have made your first dumpling. If you want to make them a little more attractive, you can pleat the edges of the dumpling. 

4. Starting on one end of the sealed edge, pleat the sealed part by pinching it between two fingers. Keep going until you get to the other end, and you have a dumpling with a ruffled edge on top. Repeat until you have made all your dumplings. Place them on a platter, fat side down with a little space between each one to prevent them from sticking. If you are going to store them overnight before cooking them, cover them with some cling film and pop them into the fridge until you need them.

5. To make the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients together and then set it aside while you cook the dumplings.

6. Heat a heavy-based non-stick pan over a high heat. Add some toasted sesame oil and place the dumplings fat side down onto the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the bottoms of the dumplings are golden brown. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan and cover it with a lid. Steam the dumplings for another two to three minutes, then remove the lid and cook until all the water has evaporated. Cook the dumplings in batches, making sure you do not crowd the pan.

7. Serve with some toasted sesame seeds, chopped spring onion, and finely sliced red chilli scattered over the top and a dish of the dipping sauce on the side.