Ground Turkey and Chives Potstickers

Prepare dipping sauce by dissolving sugar in hot water. Add soy sauce, black vinegar, chili oil, sesame seeds, sesame oil and optional minced garlic. Mix to combine. Set aside at room temperature. Place cabbage in food processor. Add salt and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to fine meshed strainer set over a bowl. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. After cabbage has purged, squeeze any remaining moisture out with hands. Transfer to a large bowl. Place chives in food processor and pulse until finely chopped, about 10 one-second pulses. Add to bowl of cabbage and pour in sesame oil. Add ground turkey (or pork), cornstarch, mushroom powder, white pepper, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce and chicken paste. Mix well with hands. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Unwrap potsticker skins, keeping skins covered with damp towel until ready to use. To form potstickers, place 1 tablespoon of filling in center of a skin. Moisten edges of skin with a watered fingertip. Fold in half and pinch middle closed. Using index finger and thumb, gather dough to make a pleat, starting left of pinched center. Press down to seal. Repeat 2–4 times and seal by squeezing the dough together. Repeat on the right side of potsticker. Repeat 2–4 times and seal the rest of the side. Transfer sealed potstickers to lightly floured plate.

Heat large nonstick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. When pan is hot, line potstickers in pan, bottom side down. Do not let them touch. Potstickers should fry for about 1–2 minutes or until golden. Pour ¼ cup of water into pan; oil will splatter immediately, so use lid to shield against hot oil splatter. Cover pan with lid. Reduce heat to low and cook for 3–5 minutes, or until bottom of potstickers is a deep golden brown and most water has evaporated. Uncover lid and fry for 1–2 minutes to cook off remaining liquid, and to crisp bottoms of potstickers. Transfer finished potstickers to a plate and repeat with the remaining potstickers, adding oil as needed. Serve with dipping sauce.