Meat and Shrimp Potstickers: A Classic Northern Chinese Dumpling Recipe

Meat and shrimp potstickers, also called guōtiē, are pan-fried dumplings with one crisp side and a juicy centre. This recipe makes about 24 dumplings and suits a medium skill level. The filling uses pork or chicken, shrimp, water chestnuts, spring onion, ginger, coriander, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

Potstickers are a Northern Chinese-style dumpling that is also common in Chinese and Japanese cooking. They are often served as street food, an appetiser, or a side dish. You may also see them on a dim sum menu. They are similar to Japanese gyoza dumplings.

This dish uses a simple two-part method. First, the dumplings fry in a shallow layer of oil until the base turns golden. Next, water goes into the hot pan and the lid goes on. The steam cooks the raw filling, while the base stays crisp.

Recipe facts

Ingredients (with measurements)

• 250 g ground chicken or ground pork

• 225 g ground raw shrimp (prawn)

• 12 raw shrimp (about 150 g), chopped

• 75 g water chestnuts, peeled and sliced

• 15 ml light soy sauce

• 15 ml sesame oil

• 15 ml salt

• 1 pinch white pepper (optional)

• 3 tbsp spring onion, minced (about 25 g)

• 3 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (about 18 g)

• 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped (about 12 g)

• 24 to 30 gyoza or wonton wrappers (1 pack, store-bought)

• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), optional for sealing

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying, plus a little extra if needed

• 240 ml water for steaming

Equipment

• Large skillet or wok with a lid

• Mixing bowl

• Spoon and chopping board

• Small bowl for water

• Plate or tray for filled dumplings

Step-by-step method

Step 1: Put the ground chicken or pork, ground shrimp, chopped shrimp, and sliced water chestnuts into a mixing bowl. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper if you use it. Add spring onion, ginger, and coriander. Mix until the filling looks even and sticky.

Step 2: Set a small bowl of water near your work area. If you want a stronger seal, stir in a little cornflour to make a thin paste. Lay out wrappers on a clean surface. Keep unused wrappers covered so they do not dry out while you work.

Step 3: Take one wrapper and wet the edge with water. Put a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre. Fold the wrapper over the filling to form a half-moon. Pinch the edges to seal it shut. Place the dumpling on a tray and repeat until done.

Step 4: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. When the oil is hot, place the dumplings in the pan in a single layer. Leave a little space between them. Cook without moving them until the bottoms turn golden, about 1 minute.

Step 5: Keep the dumplings in place and do not turn them. Carefully add 240 ml water to the hot pan, then cover right away. Steam for about 1 minute to cook the raw filling. After 1 minute, turn off the heat to help stop the bottoms from burning.

Step 6: Leave the lid on and let the dumplings sit for a few more minutes with the heat off. This finishes the cooking with gentle steam. Uncover and check one dumpling if needed. Serve the potstickers warm with a dipping sauce or plain soy sauce.

Serving notes

Serve potstickers as an appetiser, snack, or side dish. The crisp side should face up on the plate so it stays crunchy. Soy sauce works well as a quick dip. These meat and shrimp dumplings also fit well with other dim sum-style dishes on the table.

Nutritional values (approximate)

These values are an estimate per 1 dumpling, since wrapper size and meat choice can vary.