Vegetable Dumplings (Potstickers!)

Ingredients

Full recipe - filling:

• 2 cups green cabbage, finely chopped into 2mm pieces
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 8 dried shiitake mushroom, medium size
• 3/4 cup firm tofu, finely diced into 3-4mm / 1/8" cubes
• 1/2 tsp garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbsp green onion, finely sliced then minced
• 2 tbsp finely grated floury potato, including juices, for binding
• 1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp light soy sauce (or all-purpose, not dark soy)
• 1/4 tsp sugar (any)
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 2 pinches white pepper (sub black)

Wrapping:

• 30 - 35 round dumpling wrappers (gow gee)

Cook (pan-frying + steaming):

• 2 - 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1/4 cup water per cooking batch

Instructions

1. Toss cabbage with 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes. Then grab handfuls and squeeze out excess water as best you can. Place squeezed cabbage in a bowl for mixing the filling.
2. Soak mushrooms in 1 litre of boiling water for 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid and finely chop into 2 mm pieces. Add to the filling bowl.
3. Add grated potatoes to filling mix, including all the liquid that leached out when you grated it.
4. Add remaining ingredients into the filling bowl, mix to combine.
5. Take one wrapper from the packet. Keep unused wrappers covered so they don't dry out.
6. Place a wrapper in your non-dominant hand. Dip your index finger in water and run it along the lower half of the wrapper (edge closest to you). Place 1 loosely-packed tablespoon of filling in the centre. Fold the wrapping over the filling, then seal with pleats. (If this is too hard, skip the pleats and seal flat).
7. Stand dumpling upright with the pleats on top, and lightly press down to flatten the base. Shape gently into a slight curve. Place on a tray lightly dusted with cornflour/cornstarch. Repeat for remaining dumplings. Keep completed dumplings covered with a tea towel to prevent them from drying out. If you're making ahead, cover dumplings with cling wrap and refrigerate.
8. Use a large non-stick pan with a lid.
9. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Pan fry 12 to 15 dumplings for 2 minutes until the base is golden brown.
10. Pour over 1/4 cup water over the dumplings in the skillet - it will steam and bubbly vigorously! Place the lid on and steam for 5 minutes or until the water in the pan has evaporated.
11. Remove the lid. The water should have been driven off, and the wrapping should be semi-transparent (indicating it is cooked). The base should be crispy again. If not, leave the pan uncovered for a bit until the base crisps up again in the oil.
12. Scoop the dumplings up with a spatula and place on a serving plate. Serve with soy sauce and chili paste for dipping, or rice vinegar mixed with soy sauce.
13. Using either a bamboo steamer set over a large wok with simmering water, or other larger steamer. Line with a fitted sheet of parchment paper with holes, and steam the dumplings for 8 minutes.