Vegetable Potstickers

Happy Thursday! We're almost to the Easter holiday weekend and I'm so excited! Do you have any fun [delicious] Easter plans this weekend? We're taking Joel to the Jelly Belly factory for a tour of how jelly beans are made on Saturday, followed by Easter egg decorating with the Baron's family. As for Easter Sunday, after church [where I'll be singing in the praise choir for the first time-eek] we're having brunch at a local restaurant and spending Easter dinner with the Baron's family once again. So to conclude with this week's taste tour of Asian dishes, here's a recipe for [gluten free adaptable] Vegetable Potstickers. Pockets of dough are filled with a savory vegetable filling of onion, mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, garlic and cilantro before pan frying and steaming...


I often forget how much I love potstickers. They are especially easy to make and prepare if you devote some time one afternoon just having a dumpling making field day... then freezing them to use whenever that potsticker craving comes on. I'm all for squeezing in vegetables where I can and these potstickers helps us get more vegetables in our diet. Feel free to mix in shredded rotisserie chicken into the filling for a chicken vegetable potsticker version!

Vegetable Potstickers
filling recipe from Food Network

For vegetable filling:
1 red onion sliced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup white cabbage, shredded
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup chopped garlic chives or chives
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a wok or large saute pan, add a little oil and saute onions and ginger. Add the mushrooms and stir. Add the cabbage, carrots and chives. Season. When mixture is soft, place in colander to drain. Add the sesame oil and cilantro when mixture is cooled. Season to taste.


For dumpling dough:
2 cups all purpose flour or GF flour blend*
1 cup boiling water, plus additional water if needed
GF flour blend for dusting
In a large bowl, mix the flour blend and the boiling water until a soft dough forms.  If you need more water, add additional warm water one tablespoon at a time. Knead the dough until its smooth.

Divide dough in half.  Cover one half with the moist paper towel, while working with the other half. Shape each half into a roll 12 inches long and cut each roll into 1/2-inch slices. 


To assemble:On a floured surface, roll out each slice with a rolling pin into a thin circle and place about a tablespoon of the filling mixture in the center of the circle.  Life up the edges of the circle and pinch them together to create a half circle.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.  Lay the potstickers on a baking sheet in a single layer covered with a moist paper towel to keep from drying out. 
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high to high heat.  Once hot, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, coating the entire bottom. Add in 10-12 dumplings in a single layer and fry for 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.

Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet and cover.  Cook for 6-7 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.  Repeat with the remaining dumplings. Serve hot.

*Gluten free flour blend:
This is the best combination for my personal uses and has never failed me. I purchased a majority of the ingredients at an Asian market (at less than $.99/lb) and the other ingredients marked were Bob Red Mill brand. Cornstarch was Argo brand.

300 grams superfine brown rice flour (Bob's Red Mill)
250 grams sweet rice flour (Asian market)
150 grams tapioca flour (Asian market)
100 grams sorghum flour (Bob's Red Mill)
100 grams potato starch (Asian market)
100 grams cornstarch (Argo brand)

Whisk together the above flours and store in an air tight container. To use, measure out 140 grams for every cup called for in your favorite baking recipe (NOT yeast bread recipes.) Add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum for every cup used in the recipe as well to help with texture and binding. Voila! You can bake gluten free with confidence!