Potsticker Soup

Potstickers are delicious crescent-shaped Asian dumplings, filled with vegetables and/or meats and seafood. The can be deep-fried, boiled, or characteristically pan-fried. They also make wonderful additions to this light but satisfying Asian-style soup that's pleasing in any season.

The traditional "potsticker" method involves heating some oil in a non-stick frying pan (with a lid), placing the dumplings neatly in a "pinwheel" pattern so none of the sides touch, then slowly browning them on one side with the pan covered. After about ten minutes, uncover the pan, add about 2 tablespoons of water and cooked covered tightly for 10 more minutes, allowing the steam to cook the dumplings.

If you're so inspired, you can make these potsticker dumplings from scratch, or you can use frozen ones which also give a great result with far less prep time. We like the Chicken and Vegetable Potstickers from Trader Joe's®.

• 6 cups water
• 1 T. each chicken and beef bouillon paste (Tone's™ or Better Than bouillon™ are good brands), or use canned or homemade stock and reduce water by one-half
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
• 1 medium carrot, scraped and finely shredded in food processor or grater
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 2 cups shredded romaine or greenleaf lettuce
• 1 cup cooked rice, if desired
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 12 to 18 cooked potsticker dumplings
• 2 tsp. olive oil

Bring water and bouillon to boil in a soup pot, add soy sauce, peas and carrots, cook five minutes on medium heat. Serve by placing desired number of potstickers (allow 4 to 6 per person) in large soup bowls, and adding cooked rice and a dash of sesame oil in each bowl. Fill with soup mixture, top with scallions and lettuce.