Yield: about 24 dumplings, serves 4

Time: about 45 minutes

Ingredients
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DOUGH

2 cups all-purpose white flour
1/2 cup water (you can add a bit more for consistency if you like)

FILLING

1/2 lb          ground turkey 
1/4 cup         oatmeal or bread crumbs, your preference
2               green onions, coarsely chopped
2               thumb-sized slices fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp           salt (optional)
1/2 tsp         sugar
pinch           white pepper
1 tsp           sesame oil

TO COOK

2 Tbsp          sesame oil (or other vegetable cooking oil)
1 cup           water

SAUCE

3 parts         soy sauce
1 part          red or white rice vinegar
to taste        hot chili oil
to taste        fresh ginger, minced
to taste        green onion, coarsely chopped

1. Combine flour and water in a bowl, mixing to form a ball. On a floured board, knead with your palm for about 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and cover it with a damp towel. Let stand for about 10 minutes.

2. Combine the filling ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until you have the dough ready to make the dumplings.

3. Knead the dough again for about 3 minutes. Dough should be slightly sticky so it will form the dumplings easily. Separate the dough into 24 pieces. We find it easiest to divide the dough in half, then half again, and so on, until you have the proper number. You may also roll the dough into a cylinder and slice pieces if you wish. Each piece should be a small ball about 1 inch in diameter. Press down with your palm to flatten into a pancake about 2.5 - 3 inches in diameter. They should be quite thin.

4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each pancake. Fold the dough over to make a half circle and press the edges together firmly to make a dumpling. You may find it easier to cradle the meat in the dough, taco-like, and bring the edges of the dough up and together, stretching the dough until it completely enfolds the filling.

5. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the two tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Swirl the oil around the pan until it begins to sizzle. Add the dumplings CAREFULLY, as the oil may splatter. Agitate, turning the dumplings until they are lightly browned on both sides. Because we have added very little oil to the pan, you may find yourself essentially stir-frying the dumplings so that they each get equal time with the oil.

6. Add water, cover, and boil gently for 8 minutes. The bottom sides of the dumplings should be brown, otherwise allow them to cook for a few extra minutes uncovered. Remove from heat and carefully lift potstickers out with a spatula, allowing excess oil & water to drain.

7. To serve, turn potstickers dark side up on a serving plate. Combine ingredients for sauce to your own taste and serve the sauce in small bowls for dipping.

Miscellaneous notes

Potstickers may also be steamed, but the consistency and taste differs. We prefer them pan-fried, and the recipe above yields terrific results that are still less than 30% fat. If you like the steamed texture, however, steam the dumplings over boiling water for about 12 minutes.

Nutritional info: 1 potsticker = 90 calories, 23 of which are from fat. Most of the fat comes from the cooking oil, although 6 fat calories per dumpling come from the turkey.

Uncooked potstickers may be stored frozen. Freeze them separately on a cookie sheet (to prevent sticking) and then store them together in a plastic bag.