Guide to Folding Potstickers (2 Ways)

Don’t let the steps of folding potstickers stop you from making it at home! Here is a simple guide on how to tell the difference between wonton & potsticker skins &  2 methods we use to show you how to fold them, so you can do this in the comfort of your home! 🙂

Before we get started, I wanted to show you the difference between a wonton skin and a dumpling/potsticker wrapper. Potstickers are usually the ones that are folded and pleated more fancy than wontons and they have a completely different texture as well.

Dumpling skins are used to make Potstickers and Gyoza and produce a crispy and chewy dumpling that you usually cook on a frying pan. Wonton skins are mainly used to make Wonton dumplings and are generally thinner and used to make dumplings for soups like the Shrimp Wontons. Both Wonton and Potsticker dumplings are great deep fried. 🙂

When shopping for these 2 ingredients I find the no-fail best way to tell the difference between the two types of skin is to use the ‘bend test’. Wonton wrappers are very pliable and blendy, whereas dumpling wrappers are a bit doughier are harder to bend in half.

Wonton wrappers are also more yellowish in colour and generally have eggs in it, whereas dumpling wrappers are more white and pale in colour, and have a doughy texture and have no eggs in them.

LETS FOLD!

Pleated Folds

1. Add some water to the edge of the skin as the ‘glue’
2. Start off by pinching the middle together. The pros start at the edges but I have always found it easier to start in the middle and work your way down to the bottom on both sides.
   
3. To create the pleats, work on one side at a time and pleat just the skin facing you, then pinch the pleat onto the back of the skin to secure. Repeat that until you get to the bottom. How many pleats is your preference,  I usually just do 2 per side.
   
4. Repeat Step 3 on the other side, starting from the centre again.
   Note: You can make these pleats in any direction you want. You can make the pleats all one direction or you can have them opposites all going towards the centre. Whichever tickles your fancy. 🙂
   
5. Voila! You are done!
   

Simplified Pleated Folds

1. Add some water to the edge of the skin as the ‘glue’
2. Fold the skin in half and pinch to secure the whole thing.
   Technically, you can stop here! 🙂 and this can be the simplest form of folding a potsticker. However if you want to have pleats on them, go on to step 3.
   
3. Make pleated folds on the whole top skin and pinch firmly with damp fingers
   
4. Voila, you’re done!
   

There’s nothing to it 🙂 and I can confidently say that after you have done it a few times you will probably be a pro at this and do it in your sleep.

…and if you chose the simple way to do this – there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Be proud of your dumplings! I use the simplified way of folding my dumplings when I’m feeling lazy! …and that’s usually about 95% of the time! haha! Besides, it all goes in your stomach anyways right? who sees it there? 😛

Pleat, Pinch, Pleat, Pinch….