Potstickers
Potstickers
Servings: 3-4
Time: 1 1/2 - 2 hours
These potstickers are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. They can be lightly pan-fried and steamed, or boiled for a lower fat version.
Diet: V, GF, GFV, DF, SF
Have you noticed that almost every culture has some sort of small, succulent parcel encased in dough that everyone goes gaga for? Living in Los Angeles, which is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the country, it is possible to drive down a street and easily pick up a samosa from an Indian spice shop, wontons or potstickers from the many Chinese restaurants, a gyoza from the Japanese ramen shop, and rolled tacos from one of the thousands of taco shops.
I grew up in a Filipino-American household where my mother served her 8-member household a mix of Filipino and “American” dishes. On special occasions, my mom would make lumpia, a Filipino egg roll, from scratch. I've loved them since I was a child and now the children (my 15 nieces and nephews) in my family love them, too! I don't know what it is about these little packages of goodness that we can't get enough of. We just love them! Unfortunately, as I live a gluten-free, vegan lifestyle, I don't have as many options to choose from when it comes to enjoying the little packaged treats. That is, if I don’t make them myself.
When I craved gyoza, which are Japanese potstickers, I researched and spent a few days testing recipes. My goal was to create a delicious potsticker that is vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. I like potstickers because I don't feel as guilty eating them. They are not deep-fried and only a tablespoon of oil is used to brown them. My potstickers can be made even lower in fat. To do so, simply add them to a pot of boiling vegetable stock or water for a few minutes and voila!
To avoid soy, I use mushrooms and walnuts. This way, I get my protein along with vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, manganese, copper, iron, potassium, and a nice, long list of other minerals and health benefits. Other ingredients include ginger, garlic, scallions and cayenne pepper, dijon mustard, and ketchup. If you're against using ketchup, you can substitute the ketchup with finely chopped unsweetened dried cranberries. Believe me when I say that all the listed ingredients make a difference—they add richness and more depth of flavor.
This recipe can take about 1.5 hours from start to finish and maybe even longer depending on how quick you are in the kitchen. If you have a friend to help you out with the rolling while you wrap, that'll save a lot of time! These would be perfect to make on a weekend when you have a lot of time.
Whenever it is you choose to make the potstickers, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Healthy Habit: A healthy habit I practice before enjoying my cooked meals is having at least 1/4th a cup of homemade kimchi and a large green salad, preferably a simple kale or cabbage salad. The kimchi (or sauerkraut) is probiotic, increases my enzyme reserves, helps remove toxins and speeds cleansing, restoring the friendly bacteria in my body. The nutrient-rich green salad provides me with more iron, calcium, antibiotics, and enhances satiety (feelings of fullness) and reduces the total number of calories eaten during my meal.
Ingredients
Filling:
1 cup walnuts
1 heaping cup shiitakes (3.5 oz., approximately 13 shiitake mushrooms)
1 cup green cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
2 Tbsp red bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp flax meal
3 Tbsp vegetable stock
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
1 tsp coconut sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp tapioca flour
Wrapper:
1 cup tapioca starch
1 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tbsp sunflower oil or grapeseed oil
3/4 cups filtered water
Dipping Sauce:
2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari)
1 Tbsp rice vinegar (or coconut vinegar)
1 Tsp minced ginger
sriracha, to taste
Directions
Filling:
1. Place all the filling ingredients into a food processor and pulse 10 times. Do not over process. You want a chunky texture, not a fine mush.
2. Taste and adjust the heat. If you want more heat, add more cayenne pepper.
3. Place the filling in a bowl and mix well.
Wrapper:
1. In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix all of the dry ingredients until completely combined. Add the filtered water slowly while it is mixing, until it forms a ball. You don't want this to be sticky. If it is too sticky, add a little more tapioca and brown rice flour. If it's too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough forms a ball.
2. Divide the dough in half. Roll one half of the dough into a rod on a clean surface until it is about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Cut 10 pieces equally and set aside in a bowl that's lined with a damp paper towel (not dripping). Each piece should be approximately 1 tablespoon. To avoid the dough from drying out, cover the pieces with a damp paper towel. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
3. If you have a tortilla press, this will make your job so much easier. Use it to make thin, circular wrappers. Alternatively, between 2 pieces of parchment paper (not wax paper), place one round piece of dough towards the center and press down with a small saucepan or with the palm of your hand. Flatten further with a rolling pin, making sure to keep it circular by rotating the dough as it's being rolled.
4. Assemble the potsticker right after rolling out the wrapper.
Assemble:
1. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling mixture onto the center of the wrapper. Fold over, press to seal the edges, and shape as desired. I like to slightly fan the edges. Set on a half sheet pan, lined with parchment and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat this procedure until all of the filling is gone.
Makes about 20 potstickers.
Cook:
1. Heat a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Brush with 1 tbsp of sunflower or grapeseed oil once hot.
2. Add about 7-8 potstickers at a time to the pan. Brown all 3 sides. May take 1.5-2 minutes to brown on each side.
3. Once all sides are browned, with the cover of the pan in hand to cover immediately, gently and quickly add 1/3 cup water or vegetable stock to the pan and cover. Step back and be careful as there will be a lot of steam (and steam can give you a nasty burn). I hold down the cover so it doesn't explode off of the pan in the beginning. Turn the heat down to low, and cook for another 2 minutes or until the water has cooked off. (You can also use veggie stock for more flavor.)
3. Repeat until all the potstickers are cooked. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped green onion and with dipping sauce on the side.
**Alternatively, you can boil the potstickers in a pot of vegetable stock or filtered water, as you would pasta. Bring the water or stock to a boil and cook them until ready.
Dipping Sauce:
Mix all ingredients together and serve on the side.
Freeze:
If you wish to freeze your potstickers to enjoy on another day, place the sheet tray of potstickers in the freezer first. Allow them to freeze for at least 30 minutes, then place them in your freezer storage container of choice (ie. Ziplock or glass tupperware). Placing them in the freezer first will avoid them from sticking to each other.
When you're ready to enjoy them, follow the cooking directions above. You can cook them frozen. Just don't move the potsticker once you place them in the pan. Let them sit in the oil for at least 1.5 minutes or until browned. Once they are browned, they will release from the pan with ease. If you move them too quickly, the wrapper can tear.
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