Pot Sticker Dumplings
(Makes 24 pieces)

This is the best recipe I know for these delicious little dum-sum dumplings.

1. Get into your car; turn on the ignition.
2. Drive to Costco.
3. Head to the frozen section and select your package
4. Go home and follow directions.
5. If you don’t have a Costco near you, you need to move.

Dipping Sauce
1/2 C soy sauce
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 T fresh ginger (fine mince)
1/4 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Combine all ingredients and pour into small bowl to serve with pot stickers.

Tips & Glossary: Chinese

Many ingredients used in Chinese cooking probably aren’t in your spice shelf, but you can find them at Asian grocery stores. To avoid frustration, make a list of the items before trying recipes.

Agar Agar:  dried seaweed used as a gelatin.  Buy it in sticks (or strips) and soak in cold water to soften.

Chili Oil:  buy it or make your own. For a recipe, see Hunan Chicken.

Chinese Cabbage:  aka “Nappa”;long, white stalks with light green crinkly leaves.

Deep Frying: use a deep-fry thermometer to reach the recipe's correct temperature; if the oil isn't hot enough, the food will be soggy. When cool, the oil can be strained, refrigerated, and re-used.

Dried Shrimp: tiny, salted, sun-dried shrimp that add a pungent flavor to Asian cooking. Soak before using. 

Five-Spice Powder: blend of star anise, cinamon, cloves, fennel and Szechuan peppercorns. Like allspice.

Peppersalt: buy or make your own. Heat 2 T Szechuan peppercorns in skillet 5 min. Grind into powder and mix with 2 T salt.

Sauces: Hoisin (sweet, from soybeans); Oyster (like soy, from oysters); Sweet Bean (canned, salty, from soybeans); Hot Bean (hot & salty, from soybeans and peppers).

Sesame Paste: from gound sesame seeds; substitute with peanut butter.

Sweet Rice Powder: from glutinous rice; used in place of flour in many desserts.

Szechuan peppercorns: dried reddish berries, fragrant and mildly hot.