Lobster Potstickers and Hong Kong Supermarket lovin'

I love the Hong Kong Supermarket that opened in my 'hood about a year ago.  Tons of impossible to find Asian ingredients.  And stuff that isn't so hard to find, but priced so good you can't walk away.  That's exactly how these lobster potstickers came about.  Cooked lobsters at $8/lb easily a quarter the price of what the local mainstream groc down the street from me charges.

When I spotted these beauties a few things crossed my mind, but since I've been in an Asian cookery state of mind the last few months lobster potstickers or dumplings came to mind.  I grabbed two and headed over to produce and picked up the fresh dumpling skins...dough already made, rolled thin and cut uniform size, 150 pieces for only $1/49, again something way cheaper than you'll ever find at the groc.

I scoured the web for recipes and eventually settled on a couple that sounded somewhat Thai in flavor profiel and went for it.  One called for ginger, a vague amount "thumbsized" so I went with my thumb which was way too effing big....my recipe here is a realistic amount, enough to flavor but not overpower the sweet of the lobster.

This is a recipe where having a food processor will come in handy.  A quick whizzaroo and you are done and avoided all the hassle of having to mince all those ingredients.

This recipe like all other potsticker recipes is excuted easiest with a nonstick pan.  The easy release ensures no broken potstickers in your skillet.  It also enables you to reduce the amount of oil used which helps you keep in a heart healty balance.

Lobster Potstickers

• 1 lb cooked lobster meat
• 1/4 c water chestnuts
• 2 4" pieces chinese garlic
• 2 T ginger
• 1 T  minced basil
• 1 T lemon grass
• 1 egg white
• 1 T corn starch
• 1 T Rice wine or cooking sherry
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t ground pepper
• 30-40 Dumpling skins (about 3 inches in diameter)
• water

In food processor add chinese garlic ( or 2 whole garlic cloves) and ginger to bowl of food processor.  Pulse until finely minced.  Add basil, lemon grass, egg white, wine, corn starch salt and pepper.  Pulse until combined.  Add lobster and water chestnut, then pulse a few times until coarsely chopped.

Take a dumpling skin in the palm of your hand.  Take a finger and dip it in water and wet the outside edges of the dumpling skin.  Place two teaspoons lobster filling into center of skin, fold edges over until they meet folding the dough skin in half.  Pinch edges firmly and place on baking sheet.  Repeat until all the filling has been used.

In a very large non-stick skillet over medium heat spritz it with cooking oil.  Arrange potstickers in pan in one layer.  (You may need to cook in batches if your skillet can't hold them all).  Cook 5 minutes then add 1/2 water to pan.  Cover and steam 5 minutes longer.  Remove lid, turn potstickers over and cook another minute or two until browned and all water has evaporated.  Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Prepared dumplings waiting to be cooked

Potsticker dumplings after they are cooked