Paleo Pork Pot Stickers

Holy guacamole… Happy New Years! We are going to start this year off with some bomb ass Paleo Pork Pot Stickers. Ok, let me reel myself back in a bit. Before I go any further, 2016 is already off to a great start. Today, another stranger messaged me that they tried one of my recipe and people loved it. It is so rewarding hearing those kind words. THAT is why I love what I do. It is my ambition, my passion, my dream to be able to share the food I cook, not only with the people that is sitting at my dining table, but with everyone. Without being long winded, I want to say a sincere thank you for those who support and follow my blog. It really means a lot to me.

Did someone say Paleo Pork Pot Stickers? I sure did. One of the dishes that I missed after going Paleo is pot stickers. Being Chinese, I went through pot sticker withdrawal and had to attend a few pot stickers anonymous meetings. Alright, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit but it was tough. That’s why I created this Paleo Pork Pot Stickers. It is crispy, hearty and a sure fire way to hit the spot. I actually used my parents as guinea pigs and they couldn’t even tell they were Paleo. Another plus, it is completely grain-free, nut-free, dairy-free and sugar-free.

This dish is one of my favorites because homemade dumplings/pot stickers were always a family thing. My mom and I would sit at the dining table and make dozens and dozens of dumplings together. So that being said, while you make these Paleo Pork Pot Stickers, get your kids, partner or whoever else involved. Have fun and make a mess. That extra bit of laughter and love really adds some extra flavor. Without further adieu, let’s make some Paleo Pork Pot Stickers.

Dough:

1 Cup – Otto’s Natural Cassava Flour

1 Cup – Tapioca Starch

2 Cups – Hot Water

Filling:

1½ lbs – Ground Pork

8 Cloves – Garlic (Minced)

1 – Medium Shallot (Finely Diced)

2 Stalks – Green Onion (Diced)

3 Tbsp – Coconut Amino

2 Tsp – Sesame Oil

½ Tsp – Ground White Pepper

¼ Tsp – Chinese Five Spice Powder

½ Tsp – Sea Salt

Optional:

1 Cup – Black Ear Fungus (Diced)

Dipping Sauce:

3 Tbsp – Coconut Amino

1 Tbsp – Balsamic Vinegar

½ Tsp – Chili Sesame Oil

½ Tsp – Finely Grated Fresh Ginger

1 Tbsp – Green Onion (Finely Diced)

¼ Tsp – Sesame Seeds

Let’s talk about the tools that I used to assemble these pot stickers, a short wooden dowel, sil-pat and a 3-inch circular cookie cutter. As far as the ingredients, it is fairly straight forward. If you can’t find certain things for the filling, go ahead and substitute with whatever you want. Also, feel free to add anything extra that you like. One of the great things about dumplings is that you can make it with whatever you want.

The dough for the Paleo Pork Pot Stickers is really simple: hot water, cassava flour and tapioca starch. Put it all in a mixing bowl and knead it together until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. You might need to add a bit more water depending on how dry the weather is and the atmosphere or altitude you live in. After mixing the dough, I suggest pinching off portions at a time to work with while keeping the rest of the dough wrapped in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. This way, the dough will not dry out. If the dough falls apart or cracks while you roll it out, dip your hands in a little bit of water and knead the moisture into the piece of dough you are currently working with.

For the filling, you simply mix all of the ingredients together and that’s it. If you are wanting to experiment with black ear fungus, you can find them at most Asian grocery stores. They usually come dried and I got ones that were dried and finely sliced. They have to be re-hydrated before use, so people suggest soaking or boiling them, but I found a short cut. In a microwave safe bowl, place a cup of dried black ear fungus, submerge it in water, and nuke it for 2-3 minutes in the microwave. They should come out re-hydrated and soft. Strain out any excess water.

To assemble the Paleo Pork Pot Stickers, lay out the sil-pat and roll the dough into a thin sheet, about 1/16 inch thick. Use the 3-inch diameter circular cookie cutter and cut out 3-inch rounds. Put about half a tbsp of filling in the center of the rounds and pinch the edges together. Try to avoid over-filling the rounds because it can cause the wrap to tear. After you assemble each pot sticker, set them aside and cover it with a slightly damp cloth to avoid them from drying out and cracking.

To cook, set a skillet with a cover on medium-high heat. Drizzle a tbsp or two of cooking oil into the pan. Set the Paleo Pork Pot Stickers in the pan. When you hear a slight sizzle, pour in a ¼ cup of water or chicken stock into the skillet and cover. This will steam the pot stickers and ensure that the filling is cooked. Once the water/stock is cooked off, about 3-4 minutes, uncover the pan and check the pot stickers to see if they are browned to your liking. If they are, flip them and fry the other side. Add extra oil if needed. I like mine a little charred, as you see in the pictures. It is not bitter, instead it almost has a slightly sweet flavor. While your Paleo Pork Pot Stickers are cooking, let’s assemble the sauce.

The sauce is super simple, coconut aminos, aged balsamic vinegar, freshly grated ginger, diced green onion, sesame seeds, and chili sesame oil. If you have not worked with fresh ginger before, the best way to skin it is with the back of a spoon or a dull kitchen knife. You simply scrape the back of the spoon over the ginger and the skin comes right off. For the grating, I like to use a microplane zester. Let’s talk a little about the chili sesame oil. You can usually find this at a well stocked Asian grocer. Make sure you look at the ingredient list on the back because sometimes they will add soybean oil to the sesame oil. Beware! Make sure it is pure sesame oil and chili. If you can’t find this, you can use chili olive oil mixed with regular sesame oil. That way you don’t have to get a ton of stuff just to make the sauce. I keep a bottle of chili sesame oil because it adds some nutty kick to any paleo salad dressing. If all else fails, use regular sesame oil and add a pinch of chili powder into the sauce.

Now that the sauce is done and the Paleo Pork Pot Stickers are fresh off the skillet, is your mouth watering yet? Well, grab one, dip it in the sauce and enjoy! I love how crispy it gets. I hope you have enjoyed these Paleo Pork Pot Stickers. Until next time, eat up my friends!