Daring Cooks Potstickers

This month's Daring Cook's is hosted by Jen at Use Real Butter and she chose... potstickers! While excited at the prospect of making potstickers, this particular challenge did incorporate two of my kitchen arch-nemeses: individually portioned food and rolling out dough. I barely made it through this challenge alive. Making the individually portioned potstickers I could probably get through, but being required to make the dough and roll it out? That was definitely putting the challenge into these Daring Cook Challenges. After about 3 or 4 wonky potstickers, due to my aversion to rolling properly, I changed my tactic. I added the filling, gathered it all up into a bundle at the top and just squeezed. I tied a carrot string around the bundle to imply it was somewhat intentional. If you ever need a shortcut--I'm sure I can think one up for you if it involves dough.

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup warm waterflour for work surface

Veggie Filling:

1 cup chopped bok choy

1 carrot shredded

2 shittake mushrooms diced

1 garlic clove

minced ginger

oil

Sauce:

2 parts soy sauce

1 part vinegar (red wine or black)

a few drops of sesame oil

1 part Sriracha hot sauce

splash of mirin

minced ginger

minced garlic

squeeze of honey

Make the filling: Sprinkle chopped bok choy with 1 tbsp salt and mix well. Let sit to extract water from the cabbage. After 10 mins rinse in running cold water for 2-3 minutes to remove salt. Place cabbage, carrots and mushroom on cutting board and rock knife back and forth over filling until finely minced. Heat pan with 1 tsp oil over medium-low heat and add garlic and ginger. Cook for 2 minutes and add filling and cook for 2 minutes. Remove to bowl and let cool completely

Make the dough:Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).

Make the Potstickers: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes. Serve with sauce