New Class for Kids at Hot Stove Society

I will be teaching a postickers class for kids at Hot Stove Society on Dec. 21, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $85 and includes lunch. For details and to register, visit hotstovesociety.com.

Some photos from a potsticker class in my home:

Heirloom Recipes for Mother's Day on Food52

From our May 2, 2015, potsticker cooking class at Hot Stove Society in Seattle. Photo/Hien Duong.

It was so cool to be asked to submit a post for Food52's celebration of heirloom recipes for Mother's Day.

I have been making dumplings at my mother’s side for the past thirty years. I first learned how to fill the wrappers and pleat them shut when I was in grade school. In my teens, I learned how to make the dough and roll the skins. Before I graduated college and left home for my first job, I had to be able to make a batch of potstickers (pan-fried dumplings) from beginning to end as a test of my skills—and to reassure my father that, some day, when I met my future husband, I would be able to feed him. They weren’t pretty in the beginning, but my technique evolved over the years; thousands of dumplings taught my fingers the nuances of the dough.

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Potsticker Class at Hot Stove Society

UPDATE, FEB. 20, 2015: The class sold out in 24 hours! We hope to schedule another session, so stay tuned.

My mother and I will be teaching a potsticker class at Hot Stove Society on May 2. You can read about the class here. Making potstickers has always been a family affair. We hope you'll join us!

During her career as a food writer at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Hsiao-Ching shared many stories about learning how to make dumplings (boiled, steamed, potstickers) at her mother, Ellen’s, apron strings. Ellen would roll the wrappers and Hsiao-Ching would fill and pinch the dumplings. Over the years, they’ve made thousands of dumplings and even taken the show on the road, having taught together at food festivals and even on board a Holland America cruise. The family recipes have also been featured in the PBS documentary and companion cookbook 'The Meaning of Food.'

I love this photo from Chinese New Year 2014 of me, my mother and my daughter, Meilee, making dumplings.

Chinese New Year Story on KPLU

It was so fun to be interviewed by Ed Ronco and Martha Kang for this KPLU story about some of our family traditions for Chinese New Year. You can hear the sounds of cooking in my kitchen. I especially love the sounds of the wok.

You can listen to the audio below and read the accompanying post here.

Potstickers

(Frozen, but homemade, dumplings ready to be pan-fried.)

Over the years, I have written a few stories about my potsticker recipe. The recipe evolved with each incarnation as my writing skill, and therefore my ability to articulate the technique, evolved. Here is the last installment about my potsticker history. I plan on hosting a potsticker party at my home and inviting friends to get their hands in the dough and to eat these crusty, meaty fried dumplings.

HSIAO-CHING'S

POTSTICKERS

MAKES ABOUT 40

DOUGH:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 to 1 cup lukewarm water

FILLING:

1 pound ground pork (use Kurobuta pork, if available)

2 cups chopped Chinese cabbage (also called napa cabbage)

2 stalks green onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon minced ginger

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Vegetable oil

For the dough: In a large mixing bowl, gradually add water to the flour, stirring to combine. (You may need a touch more if the dough doesn't come together.) Mix well with a dough mixer or wooden spoon until it starts to come together. Then work with your hands to form the dough into a rough ball. If the dough is too wet, you can add a little more flour. The dough won't feel smooth at this point. Set the dough ball in a bowl, cover with a damp towel and let it rest while you make the filling.

For the filling: Combine the ground pork, Chinese cabbage, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, white pepper and sesame oil in a bowl. Combine thoroughly. (Clean hands are the ideal mixing tool.)

To form the dumplings: Knead the dough for several minutes until it feels smooth. Divide it into 4 sections. Roll each portion into a log about 5 inches long and 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut the log into 9 or 10 even pieces. Dust with flour as needed.

Roll each piece into a ball, then press it between your palms into a silver-dollar-size disk. With a Chinese rolling pin (available in Asian markets, or get a 3/4-inch wooden dowel from a hardware store), roll each disk into a flat circle about 3 inches in diameter. Don't worry about making a perfect circle.

Place a dollop of filling, about a teaspoonful or so, in the center of the wrapper. Fold the round so you get a half-moon shape and pinch shut. (See note.) The dough should be just sticky enough to seal without using water or egg. Repeat until you have used up all the dough or you run out of filling.

To cook: Heat an 8- to 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-low to medium-high heat (you may have to adjust the heat according to your stove). Add about 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl it around to coat the bottom. Place as many dumplings in the skillet as will fit. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water to the pan, depending on the size of the pan. Cover immediately with a lid and do not remove or the steam will escape. Cook until bottoms are crisp and brown but not burned, about 7 to 9 minutes. The sizzling will subside as the water evaporates. Remove the pot stickers with a spatula. Serve with dipping sauce.

NOTE: The simplest way to seal the dumplings is to pinch the edges shut so that you have a flat seam. It will look like a turnover or a pierogi. If you are good at crimping, you can create a "pleated" edge.

SOY-GINGER

DIPPING SAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 1/2 CUP

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or minced)

1/4 teaspoon chili sauce, or to taste

1 clove garlic, smashed

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. This will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days.