Shrimp Potstickers with Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Next Monday is my favorite holiday – Chinese New Year! Since 2000, I’ve spent almost every Chinese New Year in Southern California where my grandmother lived. She passed away in 2011, and even though the holiday’s just not the same without her, it’s a wonderful time to celebrate her memory over lots of good food, because the lady could eat and always savored a good meal.

Even if you don’t traditionally celebrate the Lunar New Year, it doesn’t mean your family can’t participate in the eating fun because that’s truly what 90% of the holiday is about – eating with your family! And if you’re unmarried, getting lots of red envelopes filled with amounts of money ending in 8 because that’s a lucky number in Chinese culture.

Our meal plan service featured shrimp potstickers in a meal plan last September. They were a huge hit with our Kitchen Heroes and also make a great meal to usher in the year of the monkey!

With a little advance preparation, potstickers are easier to make at home than you might think.

Put them on the menu for Sunday dinner when you might have more time for assembling. Traditionally, the big feast is actually on new year’s eve, so this plan works out perfectly.

Once you’ve got your filling made with our recipe, the video below will give you a short lesson on how to assemble these dumplings. When you see how easy they are to make at home, you’ll never have to order takeout potstickers again.

If you have kiddos, this will definitely become one of their favorite kitchen activities. Plus, it’ll be a great opportunity for chopsticks practice and to tell them more about the Lunar New Year. If you want an additional resource, Long Long’s New Year is a great kids book to help you out.

Have a great new year’s meal!

Prepping Smarts

• If you’ve forgotten to defrost the shrimp the night before, our video below will show you a quick and simple trick to getting the shrimp ready for when you need it.
• If you’re not a shrimp fan, use this recipe as a template for whatever filling you want – don’t be afraid to make it your own! Ground meat, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, or fish will all make delicious fillings.
• Potstickers freeze very well. Make extra and freeze before cooking. To freeze, spread them out on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Once the potstickers are frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or a tightly-sealed container.

Equipment Smarts

• Food processor – chops the filling ingredients together quickly and efficiently for uniform pieces. It’ll save you a lot of time and effort!
• Sheet pan – makes clean-up a breeze, since you won’t have to worry about getting flour all over the counter and floor. You can also use your cutting board, if it’s big enough and allows for plenty of space.

For more kitchen and equipment and tool smarts, visit our Essential Kitchen Cookware and Tools