Butcher counters in Asian markets often offer several grinds of pork. For dumplings, use a coarser grind with more fat to ensure a tender, juicy filling. Hand-minced or ground beef or lamb, both typical in northern Chinese cooking, can be substituted for the ground pork and shrimp.

• 2 cups finely chopped napa cabbage
• Kosher salt
• 12 oz. ground pork
• 8 oz. peeled, deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
• 3 medium scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs. Shoaxing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry
• 1 1/2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
• 1 Tbs. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. toasted Asian sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium bowl, toss the cabbage with 2 tsp. salt and set aside for 30 minutes to shed moisture.
2. Wring out in a clean kitchen towel to extract as much liquid as possible.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with the pork, shrimp, scallions, garlic, Shoaxing, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and
4. 1 4sp. pepper. Stir until well mixed.
5. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. (You can prepare and refrigerate the filling up to 8 hours ahead.)
6. Spoon 1 to 2 tsp. of the filling onto a dough circle, fold it in half, and then if you’re going to boil the dumplings, seal it by pinching along the curved edge. If you’re planning to pan-fry the dumplings for pot stickers, make your first pinch at the center of the curved edge and then pleat toward the center on both sides to create a rounded belly.
7. This wider shape allows the dumplings to sit upright in the pan and form a flat surface for browning.
8. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
9. As you work, arrange the filled dumplings in a single layer without touching on large plates, so they don’t stick together. (At this point, the dumplings may be covered and refrigerated
10. for up to 4 hours or frozen.)

Serve with Soy Dipping Sauce

These dumplings freeze beautifully. Arrange justformed dumplings in a single layer on lightly floured baking sheets and freeze for at least four hours. Once they are frozen through, transfer the dumplings to freezer storage bags. They can be frozen for up to three months. The dumplings can be boiled or pan-fried directly from the freezer; simply increase the cooking time by three to four minutes

Fine Cooking issue 103