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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Potsticker Soup

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After all those lovely comments you left over the past two days I really feel like I should have some dynamite recipe to give you -- something fabulous that you can just whip up with no effort. Alas, I have no magic, but I will post Jamie Oliver's Wicked Kebobs (pretty close to magic) just as soon as I upload the photographs.

This recipe I wanted to share a while back, but my photos were so lousy I had to wait to make it again. As is, they are still not great, but the recipe is really very good irregardless. Don't judge this book by its cover.

My family loves Asian but I am not always very successful at creating authentic Asian flavors at home. This soup, to me, tasted authentic. Frankly, I was amazed how the addition of a few ingredients to basic broth changed ordinary broth to something really tasty. And such a quick recipe -- you could whip this up in less than a half hour at the end of a busy day.

The first time I made the soup I added the potstickers frozen, as directed. The second time I baked them and added them at the table as we ate the soup -- the kids didn't even add them to their soup, they ate them in-hand. Six of one, half dozen of the other. They do tend to fall apart quickly in the soup, so I guess I liked adding them at the table better. The bok choy was yummy -- something we don't eat often. I don't think I bought baby bok choy -- it was just a head from the grocer -- but I didn't use some of the tougher outer leaves. I received one of these julienne peelers for Christmas, and it works great for this kind of recipe -- you have julienne strips of carrot in the time it takes to peel. If you have a picky child in your crowd, you could ladle out some broth before adding the veggies and prepare a serving in a separate pot, adding only the veggies the picky child will eat -- carrots are usually a safe bet if nothing else.

I served this soup with some prepared frozen egg rolls -- not the healthiest choice, but definitely easy, and tasty.



 

Potsticker Soup
 serves 4 to 5

6 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth or vegetable broth (I used chicken)
2 T. seasoned rice vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
2 t. minced garlic
1 to 1 1/4 pounds frozen pork, chicken, or vegetable potstickers (20 to 25)
1 pound baby bok choy
1/2 cup shredded carrot (I used julienne for a more substantial bite of carrot)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. toasted sesame oil

  Combine broth, vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic in a 5- to 6-quart pan; cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

Add potstickers and return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 4 minutes. (Or bake potstickers and add to soup at the table.)

Meanwhile, trim and discard ends from bok choy, then thinly slice crosswise. Wash thoroughly. Add bok choy and carrot to soup and return to a simmer. Cook until potstickers are no longer pink in the center (cut to test) and dough is tender to bite, 2 to 4 minutes longer.

Stir in green onions, cilantro, and sesame oil. Ladle soup into bowls.



Source: Sunset magazine via myrecipes.com

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22 comments:

Grace Hincapie said...

That sounds sooo good!
Thank you for posting that.

Ashley said...

When I was reading your post, I thought this was going to be a really hard recipe, but with the frozen potstickers, it is not bad at all! And I love bok choy!

Jamie Jo said...

What the heck are potstickers?

We ate at an Asian restaurant, believe it or not, in Mexico at the resort.

The best we've ever eaten. They made it right in front of us and all my kids now love fried Rice!

I had a fried rice recipe from before I was married, from a friend, but never even tried it. I decided to try it last night, with grilled chicken and it was soooooo good. We usually have tons of rice leftover, there were no leftovers!!

They also gave us a soup, but not like this one, it was called "spice soup" and it was very spicy! It was only broth, and a lot of seasonings!

Wayne said...

I wonder if sauteing the pot stickers would help them to stick together a little better in the soup. I've never heard of baking them before. I guess that would reduce the number of pans on the stove. :)

My wife and I love asian food and potstickers. Sounds like a recipe to put in the menu queue. Thanks!

EC Gefroh said...

Yummy! I will like to try this soup. An alternative to baking the potstickers would be to pan fry them. Add a little oil in a heated non-stick pan, and a little water. Place your potstickers in the pan. Cover. When the water is evaporated, the potstickers will fry in the oil. One side will be brown and crispy and the other moist.

Carina said...

I think pan frying would be the way to go too. When I have bought frozen potstickers from Trader Joe's, I have always pan fried them and they always come out great!

Thanks for sharing this soup recipe; sounds like a perfect quick meal! This might be dinner next Monday as that is the night we get home late after ballet lessons!

(Side note: I just discovered you have another blog! I'll be over there later...but for now it's back to Saxon Pre-Algebra!) :)

rachel neil said...

I came across your site and liked it very much.
I was wondering if you'd like to do a link exchange.
here's my site:
http://itsmadefromscratch.blogspot.com

thank you for your time
Rachel Neil
peru1@shaw.ca

Barbara said...

Grace -- so good and so easy!

Ashley, yes -- with the frozen potstickers this is super easy.

Jamie,
Potstickers are little Chinese dumplings. I bought a chicken variety, but they come in varieties like veggie, shrimp, pork. They are yummy. When I bake them they come out crunchy and the kids like them that way!

You'll have to share that fried rice recipe -- I've never been successful at that!

Barbara said...

Wayne,
Pan frying would definitely be an option, but sticking them in the oven freed me up for something else (I think making sweet and sour sauce for egg rolls). The frozen variety come out of the oven nice and crispy.

Thanks for the tip, Esther. I bet soft on top and crunchy on the bottom would be good.

Carina,
I'll have to try the Trader Joe potstickers. I bet they are good!

Barbara said...

I will check you out, Rachel!

Jamie Jo said...

Here's the recipe, I just posted it for you!

http://jamieskitchenblessings.blogspot.com/2011/04/fried-rice.html

Anonymous said...

Yummy! I have a terrifc Hot and Sour Soup from a Chinese cookbook I have, it is perfect for cold winter weekends. :)

-Kate

Anonymous said...

Also- I have never thought of baking them, the crunch is our favorite part here, too!

-Kate

Kate said...

I'm really sick and curled up in bed (just woke up from a "nap" that lasted about ten hours--whoops!) with blankets and my laptop, and this looks like the most amazing thing in the world right now. Any chance I can bribe you into coming over and making me soup? ;)

Barbara said...

Kate (the first Kate),
The potstickers get pretty crunchy in the oven -- at least the brand I bought did. I think they are made for baking. I have never had Hot and Sour Soup -- that sounds interesting.

Kate (the second Kate),
I'm sorry you are sick. This would be great soup for recovering. I wish I could make it for you! (That's one thing the Internet has not been able to figure out!)

Val said...

thanks for the post... NO your recipe wasnt the usuall simple i go for but my hubby ( the real cook in the family, I swear if the man didn't cook we'd all starve) is more adventurous then me ....lol

Mary said...

This sounds terrific. I must confess that I was a bit alarmed when I first looked at the picture - I thought "seriously, I have to make potstickers"? Not that I would mind, but time is a huge factor in my cooking until school is out! Glad to see that I can use frozen potstickers :) !

My family enjoys most asian flavors (other than the youngest who "tolerates" chinese take-out, and I think this would go over really well. And - seeing as how we have had a very rainy, cool spring where I am, this will be perfect. Thank you!

Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

This is one to make when Big Brother is home! I've never bought potstickers--any particular brand that's good?

Barbara said...

Vee,
You are fortunate to have a man who cooks. Go give him a smooch!

Mary,
The flavors were not strong but definitely not plain old chicken soup.

Barb,
I bought Kahiki potstickers, which are a regional product. I went to their website ( http://www.kahiki.com/products/consumers/store-locator.aspx ) and they are showing as possibly available near you. They are pretty basic chicken potstickers.

Anonymous said...

Awesome- they sell them at Costco and Sam's near me in CA! Looking forward to trying this recipe.

-Kate

Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

Thanks--I'll take a look. Might have to go a little farther afield than normal to find one of those stores.

Anonymous said...

I make a similar soup. The mini potstickers from Trader
Joes are really good in it. So is a little bit of fresh Ginger or barring that a couple of pinches of five spice powder.