Any of those recipes will work, just play with it! Here is a google search of 'napa' cabbage, which is what I use. The leaves are thinner so its more tender.

Here is a link that might be useful: napa cabbage

dumpling wrappers, potstickers, dim sum, and wontons are not synonymous.

Dumpling wrappers, almost always round but occasionally square, are thicker than wonton wrappers, which are always square.

potstickers are dumpling wrappers filled with a rich filling, folded over and pinched and then cooked in a very special way -- they are put onto a hot pan with a bit of oil, seared to brown and then covered in a bit of liquid to braise under a cover until the liquid is all gone and the dumplings literally "stick" to the pot.

dim sum is a collective phrase for a great many "appetizer-like" foods, some of which are "dumplings" but not exactly the kind of dumplings made with dumpling wrappers.

wontons refers to the thin square wrappers or to the wrapper with filling. They can be small or large and they can be boiled/steamed or deep-fried. The extra large ones are best truly steamed over gentle heat. For deep-frying, the smaller, the better.

Here's my favorite "dumpling filling" recipe to put into wontons or dumpling wrappers (given to me by a little Chinese grandmother about 25 years ago in L.A.; true):

DUMPLING FILLING
Makes 12 to 24

1 pound ground pork -- shoulder
1/4 pound shrimp -- finely chopped
1 small bok choy -- chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon cornstarch
salt -- to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon ginger root -- grated
2 stalks green onion -- chopped

Chop bok choy coarsely and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain by placing in cheese cloth and squeezing out all water. Chop finely.

Combine pork, shrimp, egg, cornstarch, salt, sugar, sesame oil, water, and ginger. Mix well.

Add bok choy and chopped green onions.

Put small teaspoon-fulls into won ton wrappers or larger tablespoon-fulls into dumpling wrappers.

Boil them gently in water or chicken stock until floating. Dumplings can be boiled (steamed) or braised (fried). Or you can freeze them stuffed raw for later use.

Joe

I tend to use napa too..but savoy works..both have a "softer" more tender leaf..think of "firmer" romaine.
Regular cabbage works as well..BUT..it must be very finely grated to cook down to the right texture.

My recipe is simple. It's from Rick Bayless.

2 cloves of garlic
2 green onions
small piece of ginger (sometimes I just use powder)
1 lb lean ground pork, chicken or turkey (I like the texture of chicken best)
1/2 small head of Napa
2 T soy
2 T sesame
Salt(about 1 1/2t)
about 40 round dumpling wrappers(aka gyoza wrappers)

Mix ingredients together, and put 1 T of filling in the center of each wrapper, wet edge and fold in half..crimp.

Potsticker Dipping Sauce
1/4 c soy
1 1/2 t sesame oil
1 T vinegar (I like cider or rice)
1/2 t chili paste (or a good pinch of red pepper flakes)

I like my gyoza pan seared, then steamed. They are okay "deep" fried too..but I like the crisp chewy texture from the sear, steamed.
(google that technique) Probably a YouTube for filling and crimping as well as cooking.

I came across a recipe to make the dumpling wrappers..I'm going to try that one of these days, if I can "refind" it. LOL

Oh basically the inside texture is a "soft" meatball. In fact if I have leftover filling I freeze it in blobs and add to simmering broth for meatballs.

Thanks Teri, Joe, and Jessy! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for! Wish I could have 'em tonite :( but I'd have to make shrimp ones AND I WANT PORK lol

24 yrs since catholic school yet the guilt lives on...

Sands,
A terrific quick "appetizer" of sorts, pinch the wrappers in the center to make a little flower shape. Heat a couple of inches of oil in a medium sized pan, drop the wrappers into the hot oil and fry until golden brown.
I buy a sauce called Maui Mountain Sweet 'n Sour Sauce and simply use it as a dip. It's usually located in a small specialty section by the catsups. Quite tasty and easy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet 'n Sour sauce

deborah that sounds good too! the asian equiv of:
Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

and I swung by the fruit market and bought napa cabbage - now I get what Teri meant by the romaine comparison. Bought leeks too because of that other thread - I'll probably buy asiago and feta before the day is out too - god I hope typing burns calories!!!!

Quick and super easy

By a cheese ball with sundried tomatoes and pesto. Mix it up with a spoon. Put a spoonful of mixture in middle of each wrapper, fold and seal with a bit of beaten egg.

Fry in shallow oil till crisp - turning once.

Drain and serve hot as appetizer.

Success! I combined elements of Joes and Teri's recipes, seared and steamed, made a dumpling sauce and it was great. We also had beef filet and leek in a garlic sauce over glass noodles and chicken fried rice. Made a bit of a mess but it was tastier than take out by far!