Freezer-Batch Pork and Napa Cabbage Potstickers

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A big weekend batch of juicy pork-and-cabbage dumplings that go straight into the freezer raw, then pan-fry from frozen into crisp-bottomed potstickers in about 12 minutes. Salting and squeezing the cabbage is the whole trick — it keeps the filling from turning watery in the freezer, so they steam up plump instead of soggy. Makes roughly 40 dumplings, enough for three easy weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

• 4 cup napa cabbage, finely chopped (about 1/2 small head)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 lb ground pork
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

• 40 round dumpling wrappers (about 1 1/2 packages)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Toss the chopped napa cabbage with the kosher salt in a colander set over a bowl and leave for 15 minutes. Gather it in a clean kitchen towel and wring hard over the sink until no more liquid comes out — you should be left with about 1 1/2 packed cups. This step is what keeps the filling from weeping in the freezer.
2. In a large bowl, combine the squeezed cabbage, ground pork, scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch and white pepper. Stir vigorously with a spatula in one direction for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture turns sticky and holds together.
3. Set up a wrapper, a small bowl of water and a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place 1 rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper, wet the edge with a fingertip, fold into a half-moon and pinch the center closed, then pleat or simply press the edges firmly. Set on the tray without touching the neighbors and repeat with the rest.
4. Freeze the tray uncovered for 2 hours, until the dumplings are rock hard. Transfer to zip-top freezer bags, press out the air and freeze for up to 3 months. Do not thaw before cooking — thawed dumplings go gummy and stick.
5. TO COOK FROM FROZEN (about 14 dumplings): Heat 2 teaspoons neutral oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high. Arrange the frozen dumplings flat-side down in a single layer and fry undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden.
6. Pour in 1/3 cup water, immediately cover and reduce the heat to medium. Steam for 8 minutes, until the water is gone and the filling is cooked through (165°F at the center).
7. Uncover, add another teaspoon of oil around the edge and fry 1 to 2 minutes more, until the bottoms are crisp and lacy. Slide onto a plate crisp-side up and serve hot.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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