Downtown dumplings or potstickers for freezing

[bern1]

Wondering if there is a good restaurant or purveyor of dumplings or potstickers downtown suitable for freezing and cooking at will... vegetable or shrimp would be a plus.

[Renguin]

Prosperity also has them frozen in a 50 piece bag - around 10 dollars i think. I'm not a fan of making them at home. I don't think they come out as good for some reason and my whole apartment smells like oil for a day afterwards.

[bigjeff]

posted about them above, they are $8. at home, I just boil them instead of the pan-fry and, it's pretty much the same ones they fry right in the store as the ones they sell frozen since they are constantly making them fresh and freezing. the guy behind the grill just knows what he's doing!

[italianagambino]

Did you try frying them with non stick spray instead of a heavy oil?

[Brian W]

I use a non-stick pan as a regular pan causes a lot of smoke. Coat a ten inch pan with one tbls of peanut oil. Pour in a half cup of cold water. Arrange the dumplings in the water. Cover and put over full heat for about five minutes or until the water is just about gone. Remove cover and let the dumplings brown a bit on the bottom. Turn them over for some color on the top.

[bigjeff]

sounds like good technique. you put the dumplings in straight from the freezer? if I'm making fresh guo-tie, I would also finish with some corn starch mixed with water at the end, to get a nice lacy crust that holds them all together.

[Chandavkl]

Definitely. A slight variation would be to put the frozen dumplings in a pan with oil but without the water, brown the frozen dumplings, then pour in the water and steam. Don't steam the dumplings first and then try to fry them in oil--the skins will tear if you do it that way.

[italianagambino]

I always buy mine from vanessa's. I buy the pack of 30 and freeze them and cook a few whenever in the mood...

[Chandavkl]

Strange Taste Cuisine sells 50 for $9. However they contain pork.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/581312

[bigjeff]

prosperity dumplings on eldridge st. its the same ones they pan-fry, 5 for $1. a bag of 50 costs $8 I believe. admittedly, there's some MSG up in those dumplings, but really good nevertheless.

[hungrycomposer]

I second dumpling house. I also like a place on Mott a block or two south of Houston that also sells fresh rice noodles.
For pierogies, I love Pierogi Deli on 1st Ave. south of Saint Marks. They don't have shrimp, but their vegetable varieties include a delicious mushroom, sauerkraut, and onion pierogi, and a nice savory potato and onion. An important winter staple for me.

[bern1]

I hadn't considered pierogis but that fits the bill too! thanks for the tip

[small h]

Vanessa's Dumplings has pretty good shrimp dumplings. The wrappers are too thick, but the filling is beyond reproach. Trader Joe's sometimes has shrimp dumplings also - I find them superior to Vanessa's (also cheaper), but you can't depend on them being in stock. For vegetable dumplings, I like Dumpling House on Eldridge. All of these come already frozen.