MY HAWAIIAN KITCHEN
Delectable memoirs of living on the slopes of Mt. Hualalai high above the famed Kona Coast on the beguiling Big Island of Hawaii.
I LOVE these potstickers. This is easily one of the BEST recipes in my entire repertoire.
Dear Journal – It’s just so Hawaiian. So what you want to find when you’re in Hawaii. So, well, just, so perfect. Snuggled behind a storefront from a bygone era, in the picturesque little village of Hawi, is where you’ll find a treasure of a Big Island dining experience. It overflows with smiling aunties, island style goodies, tropical spirits, relaxed comfort and oodles of aloha. It’s Bamboo Restaurant and it’s yummy! Bamboo is a true Hawaiian oasis brimming with delicious foods made using the freshest ingredients bought from local farmers and fishermen. The creative menu toys with you, easily causing mouthwatering indecision. I know one thing for sure, everything goes better with a lilikoi margarita. Mmmm. And now I’ve concocted my own version of Bamboo’s house specialty potstickers. My way of paying tribute to this outstanding, unique backroads Hawaiian eatery where I always leave the building smiling.
CHICKEN SATE POTSTICKERS
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 plump garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh gingerroot, minced
½ cup chunky peanut butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons Thai hot chili paste (sambal ooelek)
2 tablespoons shoyu
About 30 - 36 wonton wrappers
2 - 4 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan and saute chicken, green onions, garlic and ginger until chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add peanut butter, brown sugar, cilantro, hot chili paste and shoyu. Mix well. Chill for at least ½ hour.
Place wonton wrapper on work surface. Place about 2 teaspoons filling in the center of a wrapper. Bring edges of the wrapper up around filling and encircle the potsticker ‘waist’ gently with your fingers and thumb. Squeeze the waist gently, while also pressing the top and bottom of the dumpling with your other index finger and thumb, creating a little package with a very slightly open top. Now you’ve got it! Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornstarch and place the dumplings on the baking sheet until ready to cook.
Put about 3 tablespoons cooking oil a large heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add potstickers and cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 1 minute. Add about 1 cup of water and quickly cover with tight fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium and steam the potstickers for 10-12 minutes, until the wrappers are tender and translucent, adding a bit more water if necessary. Puddle lots of chili dunk on a platter, top with hot potstickers and serve with sticky or jasmine rice. And lilikoi margs!
CHILI DUNK:
1 16-ounce bottle Thai sweet chili sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar or white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Toss all ingredients into blender container and buzz for about 30 seconds until completely combined. Serve at room temperature with hot potstickers.