Potstickers, Jiaozi, Gyoza, Mandu, I don't care what it's called I like it. I always have to get an order when I get food from the local Chinese place and even if I sit at a counter for sushi, I usually get an order of gyoza from the kitchen.
Trader Joe's has some great bags of frozen potstickers. When you are busy (when are we not?) they make a great, quick meal. Just pop them in the microwave and you have a snack, or in our case, dinner. Yes, you can deep fry them or cook them by frying first and then steaming, but in a pinch, I usually just microwave them.
You can buy some packages of potstickers that have a packet of sauce included. And while that sauce is okay, that's just it...they are just okay. I've made my own potsticker sauce before but I never had the correct combination of ingredients and that too, just turned out okay.
When I saw this simple recipe in the Martin Yan Quick and Easy cookbook, i figured it was a great excuse to go buy a bag of potstickers and indulge. So off I went to buy the sauce ingredients.
Chinese black vinegar? Couldn't find it at a regular grocery store so when I was near the Chinese market I stopped in to see if I could find it. It's a nice big market with tons of things I wanted to try. I searched up and down the isles looking for black vinegar. I went up and down the Chinese vinegar section. I checked the Japanese section. I checked the Korean section. No luck. I asked a clerk. No luck. The clerk went and got the owner/manager. The owner came smiling. I asked for 'Chinese Black Vinegar'. He looked at me like I was crazy gaijin messing in his Chinese market. Black vinegar? Yes. And then feeling like I had to explain my craziness, I volunteered in a small little voice "Really. Chinese Black Vinegar. It's from a recipe in a Martin Yan cookbook". The owner/manager still looked at me like I was crazy. He and the clerk looked at all the vinegars (seriously, there had to be at least 50 kinds in the Chinese section alone) and then shrugged and apologized, he had none. I ended up using balsamic vinegar which Martin Yan said was an okay substitute.
This tasted really really good. I will never use the packet stuff again since this was so quick and easy to make and the ingredients are pantry staples. The recipe mentions that this could also be used on white rice (which was a great idea) or spring rolls. This recipe made way more sauce than was needed for one package of potstickers. This was so easy to make and tasted so good that it will definitely be the go to sauce when I need it.
This is my entry into the Weekend Cookbook Challenge being hosted by Sara. The challenge was to use a recipe from a cookbook that had 5 ingredients or less.
SPICY SOY DIPPING SAUCE
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir until combined. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator; it will keep for up to 3 weeks. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Note: I used good balsamic vinegar
Note: I am still on the hunt for Chinese Black Vinegar
Sounds yummy! The flavor of sesame oil is always welcome in Chinese dipping sauces.
Posted by: Louise | January 26, 2009 at 06:19 AM
I'm a little surprised you can't find black vinegar; my hot and sour soup recipe uses it, and it was easy to find a big honkin' bottle of it at all of our largish Oriental markets. Did you try any of the neighborhood ones in Japantown?
If Yaohan was still around, they woulda had it. :)
But this is brilliant and now I need to get some chili-garlic sauce. :)
Posted by: Chris Lemon | January 26, 2009 at 11:09 AM
A little while ago I came across a recipe with black vinegar in it. I didn't go look for any, but since I live in Chinatown I'm sure it won't be hard to find (I hope!). This does look like a good sauce for potstickers!
Posted by: kickpleat | January 26, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Great stuff! This is one of the few spicy things I like, and can eat without feeling it's too hot. I love steamed pot-sticker dumplings... and there is a great restaurant near me who serves the best dip with it, but if you ask for the recipe they suddenly decide that they do not speak English, hehehe...
Posted by: Arch | January 26, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Yum! That picture looks good!
Posted by: Lara | January 26, 2009 at 10:25 PM
my niece said they showed her how to mix the potsticker sauce at PF Changs once. right at the table.
Posted by: chef barbie | January 27, 2009 at 08:06 AM
Louise - we use sesame oil in a ton of stuff, it's a staple in our house.
Chris - I actually did look for it in the Japanese market and they didn't have it either. It's got to be around here somewhere.
Kickpleat - We had some potstickers at a Chinese restaurant this week and I think I like my homemade sauce better than what they served. And it was made with balsamic so who knows, I may not like it with black vinegar.
Arch - One of these days, I'll have to make my own potstickers from scratch.
Lara - I admit, every time I look at that photo, it makes me want to dive into a bag of potstickers and make a batch.
Chef Barbie - I haven't been to PF Changs lately, but I'll have to ask about it next time I'm there.
Posted by: Mrs. L | January 28, 2009 at 03:29 PM
That sounds like a really great sauce. I'll have to try that next time we make potstickers. Thanks for sending this in for WCC.
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Posted by: Andy Roger | January 12, 2010 at 12:43 AM
Whenever I see black vinegar, it's usually a huge jug (vase-like?) of it on the bottom shelf... Chinese people use it to make a traditional dish during confinement (made of pigs feet, ginger and typically eggs as well) so you might want to refer to that to get you more luck. Most Chinese people will know of it and it might help.
Posted by: Sherry | January 21, 2010 at 06:05 AM
Sherry - Thanks for the info. I'll have to check next time I'm at the store for the big jug of the stuff.
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This gets my vote especially because I am from the Caribbean where cooking veggies in coconut milk is quite popular.
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