Ground Turkey Potstickers Recipe - Sugar Spices Life (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between dumplings and potstickers? ›

Unlike dumplings, potstickers are made with a thin wrapper, sometimes referred to as a dumpling skin. This is because they are steam fried to get a crispy golden bottom layer and to ensure that the filling is juicy and delicious.

How to pan-fry frozen dumplings. In a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, add ½ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place the frozen potstickers flat side-down and cover the pan with a lid for 8 to 12 minutes, until all the water has evaporated and the flat side of each potsticker is golden.

For crunchy, yet tender pot stickers, first pan-fry them in oil until the bottoms are golden brown. Add water to the skillet and cover — steam the pot stickers for three minutes. Uncover and allow to pan-fry again until the water has evaporated and the bottom of the pot stickers are crunchy.

Pot sticker dough is ready so quickly that I often prepare it the night I plan to cook it, but it can be made ahead and rest in a zip-close bag in the fridge for a couple of days; bring it to room temperature before using.

Technically, the most standard way to prepare potstickers is with both pan-frying AND steaming.

Gyoza is the Japanese variation on the traditional Chinese recipe of potstickers. They are usually made with thinner, more delicate wrappers, and the filling is more finely textured. The thinner skins mean that gyoza get crispier than chewy potstickers.

Do you need to defrost frozen dumplings? No, you do not need to defrost frozen dumplings before cooking, you can take them straight from the freezer to the pan. If you wanted a faster cooking time, let the dumplings partially thaw for 10 minutes before cooking.

Quick tip, prevent burning or sticking, make sure to add the oil first, cook the potstickers with water first, and then add on the corn starch mixture for the crispy skin. Don't have the heat up too high, and let it “steam” first before crisping it up at the bottom later.

The ingredients in a potsticker or dumpling are usually very affordable, but making them is a difficult and painstaking process, which is why they can be expensive in restaurants and stores. Making them yourself is probably cheaper, but it can take a long time to produce a large batch of potstickers.

How do you make dumplings taste better? ›

A teaspoon of sugar adds an extremely subtle hint of sweetness. It also helps the dumplings retain their moisture through the cooking process and slows gluten development, which ensures tender dumplings. A pinch of salt seasons the dumplings and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

The steam-fry or potsticker technique is the classic method for Japanese gyoza or Chinese guo tie. Essentially, you fry the frozen dumplings, then add water to the pan and cover them to steam through, then fry them again once the water evaporates. This double-frying creates an extra-crisp bottom crust.

The good news is that you can eat frozen food that has passed its expiration date — although in some cases, the flavor, color, or texture may have decreased in quality (1).

Yes, absolutely! I like to assemble them and then immediately freeze them. Then I like to freeze them for 1 hour and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. No need to even defrost them, you can simply cook them from frozen.

Potstickers, or jiaozi, are crescent-shaped Chinese dumplings that are first pan-fried and then steamed, which results in a dumpling that is crispy on one side and soft and chewy on the other. Fillings vary but are usually a combination of minced meat and/or vegetables, plus aromatics for enhanced flavor.

Though considered part of Chinese cuisine, jiaozi are also popular in other parts of East Asia, where a Japanese variety is referred to as gyoza, and in the Western world, where a fried variety is referred to as potstickers.

The crescent-shaped dumplings are called gao. And the more purse-shaped and round ones are called the bao. There are millions of variations of these two depending on the kind of wrapper used, the filling added, and the way the dumplings are cooked (fried, boiled, and steamed).