Pork & Chive Pot Stickers

Spring 2035. Sofia has decided to stay in California. She accepted a graduate assistant coaching position at Stanford that converts to a full assistant coach role in the fall, working with the women's gymnastics team. She called to tell me and I said: that's the right move. She asked if I was sure. I said: Sofia, you have three national championships and a degree from Stanford. You know the sport from the inside in a way most coaches never will. You were going to end up here. She laughed and said she needed to hear that from me.

She asked if it was strange that she was becoming a coach. I said it was the least strange thing I'd heard in years. She said she remembered watching me coach when she was small, from the stands with Lisa, and that she'd understood something then that she couldn't articulate until now: that coaching was a kind of teaching, and that the best teaching was a kind of love — not soft, not indulgent, but present and demanding and invested. I said: I'll write that down. She said: I probably got it from you. I said: you got it from yourself, but I'm glad I had something to do with it.

Marco has been hired as an assistant coach at a high school in the Denver metro area. He called, slightly stunned, and said he'd gotten the job. I asked how the interview went. He said fine, he thought. I asked what fine meant. He said he talked for twenty minutes about New Mexico green chile and somehow that got him the job. I told him that was the most Marco Medina job interview outcome I'd ever heard and that I was proud of him.

My children are becoming teachers. Every one of them, in their own way. Elena teaching through her stories. Sofia and Marco teaching through coaching. Diego teaching through the way he parents Maya. I'm not sure I planned this but I'm not sure I could have planned anything better.

Marco landed that coaching job because he talked about food — about what green chile means, where it comes from, what it says about a place and a people. I couldn’t stop thinking about that after he called. So I went into the kitchen and made something that requires the same kind of patience and care that he was describing without even knowing it: pot stickers. You can’t rush them. You have to fold each one by hand, listen for the sizzle, know when to add the water and when to let them crisp. It felt right for a day like this one.

Prep Time: 40 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 6 (about 30 pot stickers)

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork
1 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
30 round dumpling wrappers (store-bought or homemade)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 cup water, divided
Dipping Sauce: 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

Instructions

Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, ginger, garlic, white pepper, and salt. Mix well with your hands or a wooden spoon until the mixture is uniform and slightly sticky. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to let the flavors develop.
Fill the wrappers. Place one dumpling wrapper on a clean, dry surface. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center. Dip your finger in water and moisten the edge of the wrapper halfway around. Fold the wrapper over the filling to form a half-moon shape, then pleat the sealed edge by making small folds every 1/4 inch. Press firmly to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Pan-fry the pot stickers. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange half the pot stickers flat-side down in the pan without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.
Steam to finish. Carefully pour 1/4 cup of water into the pan (it will sizzle vigorously). Immediately cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium. Steam for 5–6 minutes until the water has evaporated and the wrappers look translucent. Remove the lid and cook 1 more minute to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil, pot stickers, and water.
Make the dipping sauce. Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili flakes in a small bowl. Serve alongside the hot pot stickers.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pork & Chive Pot Stickers — Marco’s Interview Story Made Me Want to Cook Something That Takes Patience