Fuchsia Dunlop's Xi'an Beef Potstickers (Guotie, 锅贴)
Adapted from Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop
The Mala Market
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon huajiao (Sichuan peppercorns)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 10 ounces 80/20 ground beef
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 ounces green or flowering Chinese chives, finely sliced
- 4 tablespoons finely sliced green onions
- 8 tablespoons chicken stock or water
- 30 gyoza or other round dumpling wrappers
Instructions
- Toast the Sichuan peppercorns and cumin seed in a skillet until fragrant but not browned. Remove to a mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder.
- In a large bowl add the beef, ginger, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, Chinese chives, green onions and the ground spices. Mix briefly with your hands, then add the chicken broth or water and continue mixing until all is incorporated.
- Add 1 to 1½ teaspoons of the beef mixture to the center of each dumpling wrapper. Wet the opposing edges with water, using your fingertip, and seal the sides along the top, leaving the ends open. Place dumplings on parchment or wax paper as you roll. If your wrappers and dumplings are very soft, refrigerate them briefly to firm up the wrapper. (You can then freeze a portion of them for later if you wish.)
- Heat a cast-iron skillet until hot and add 2-3 tablespoons cooking oil (depending on the size of your skillet). Place the potstickers in the pan at medium-low heat and cook until the bottoms are taking on color. Loosen with a spatula to make sure they are not actually sticking. (Alternatively, use a nonstick skillet, which will ensure they don't stick during cooking.)
- Add ½ cup boiling water from a kettle and quickly cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Steam the dumplings for 4 minutes and then check the water level. If the water is mostly cooked off, remove the lid (it not, cover again and cook another minute).
- Cook uncovered until water is fully evaporated and bottoms are nicely browned. Serve with chili oil or crisp, Chinese black vinegar and soy sauce for dipping. Add julienned ginger or sliced scallions if desired.