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Milan Merhar
Food Editor's note: Some people call these pot stickers, others dumplings, or wontons. Whatever the name, this version is absolutely delicious! My husband and I, along with dozens of other guests, devoured hundreds of these at a recent party hosted by Julie and her husband Doug. Milan is a family friend of theirs who generously brought this appetizer to the party and then graciously agreed to share the recipe with ShalomBoston.com. When I made these at home, my boys practically inhaled them, even without the sauce, which, by the way, you can tinker with any way you like. And if you have eaters who are sensitive to spicy foods (these are mildly spicy), just use regular sesame oil instead of the hot version. You can assemble the pot stickers and freeze them for later – just fry or steam them up before serving. Or, if you're having a big crowd, fry them in advance as well and just reheat in the oven. These are definitely a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
Filling:
One skinless, boneless chicken breast (approx. 8 ounces), finely chopped
5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 medium scallions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot sesame oil
35-40 wonton wrappers (round or square)
Oil for pan-frying
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup Chinese rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
Sauté the chicken, garlic, scallions, and ginger root in 2 tablespoons of oil, using a hot wok or frying pan. When chicken is almost cooked through (approximately 4 minutes), add the soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook 1 minute more and adjust seasonings to taste. Set pan aside.
Moisten edges of a wonton wrapper and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Fold to seal. Repeat until all filling is used.
Film the inside of a large nonstick frying pan with oil. Arrange a single layer of wontons in the pan, avoiding overlaps. Cook 5-6 minutes uncovered over medium heat, until the bottoms are browned. Flip them over and cook 3-4 minutes more.
If you prefer soft rather than crisp wontons, add 1/4 cup chicken stock or water, cover pan, and let steam of several minutes, tossing contents occasionally until all the liquid is absorbed.
While the wontons are cooking, prepare the dipping sauce. Combine all ingredients except for the soy sauce in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce.
Serve the pot stickers immediately with the dipping sauce.
Yield: 35-40 pot stickers
Chinese Pot Stickers
ShalomBoston.com
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