Make potstickers with your Napa Cabbage

Potstickers and dumplings are a Lunar New Year tradition in many Asian cultures. Tanaka Farms has thoughtfully provided Napa Cabbage for us this week.

This filling can be used to make won tons (square skins), potstickers and boiled dumplings (round skins).

1. Dice the napa cabbage and cook it in a pot on medium heat.  Let the cabbage 'sweat' out some of its water.  (Some people add salt to fascilitate this.)  Set aside and let cool.
2. (Opt) Put some dried shitake mushrooms in warm water to rehydrate
3. In a large bowl, mash 1/2 pound of ground pork (Pork is traditional, but ground turkey or chicken also works.  For extra special occasions, use a mixture of ground pork and shrimp.)
4. Add an egg
5. 1 bunch of chopped scallions/green onions
6. Mince some ginger (I use a lot, ~1/4 C).  Reserve half for the sauce, and throw the rest of the minced ginger into the filling mixture.
7. If you have some shitake mushrooms, drain and mince them.  Add to the mix.
8. Strain the water out of the napa cabbage as much as you can and add to the mix.
9. Add salt, pepper and toasted sesame oil to taste
10. Mix thoroughly and you are ready to wrap the dumplings!
11. Cook the dumplings in your desired style.
12. Combine soy sauce, white vinegar, minced ginger and hot oil to make the sauce

There are lots of resources on the web showing how to wrap dumplings.