These Lacy Potstickers (Crispy Dumpling) or ‘冰花锅贴 ‘ (Bīnghuā guōtiē) are so delicious with a beautiful crispy layer that connects all the dumplings together.

I am a big fan of dumplings, be it potstickers, boiled, steamed, or fried. For more information about Potstickers, please check my Crispy bottom potstickers post. Today’s recipe is very similar to that with the addition of a crispy layer.
These Lacy Potstickers are also known as ‘冰花锅贴 ‘ (Bīnghuā guōtiē) or ‘冰花煎餃’ (Bīnghuā jiān jiǎo), a direct translation of icy flower pot sticker or pan-fried dumpling.

How to make Lacy Potstickers (Crispy Bottom Dumpling)
There are 2 ingredients that need resting time; cabbage and the dough. So, start by massaging some salt into the chopped cabbage until well-combined. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Then, prep the dough by mixing flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Gradually add in the hot water and mix the flour together until there are no dry spots in the bowl. If there are, add in some cold water, one tablespoon at a time. The water temperature should be hot to touch but not boiling hot. Once a dough forms, cover it tightly with a lid and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Now, let’s work on the filling. Place a tofu block in a nutmilk bag and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. If you find it hard to squeeze, try to break them into pieces and squeeze them again. Transfer tofu into a bowl.

By now, the cabbage should have released some moisture. Remove the cabbage moisture using the same technique as tofu. Add the cabbage into the same bowl with tofu.

Add in the chopped carrots, green onions, and season with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, pepper, mix to combine. Here, you can divide the filling into 24 equal portions if you prefer for easier handling later. Alternatively, you can sauté the ingredients but be sure to drain the cooked mixture well. This way, your filling will be dry and will prevent you from having soggy dumpling.
Meanwhile, mix all the dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl, then set aside. There are a variety of sauces that can be served with these dumplings, and one of my favorites is sliced ginger with Chenkiang vinegar.
After 30 minutes, your dough should be well-rested. Knead the dough on a cleaned surface a few times to get a smooth top. If your dough appears hard to knead, let it rest longer.

Divide the dough into 24 equal portions. Work with one dough at a time and cover the rest with a towel.
Roll out the dough into a circular wrapper about 3″- 4″ diameter. I prefer to roll out all the dough before wrapping them with filling.
To make the dumpling, place a spoonful of filling in the middle of the wrapper and pleat to seal.
Add a drizzle of oil in a 12″ non-stick pan, then arrange 12 dumplings in the pan, slightly apart with a gap. This area is to allow the flour mixture to cook which will then connect all the dumplings together when the batter crisps up.

Cook dumplings over low-medium heat. Once the bottom of the dumplings starts to brown, pour the flour mixture to the side of the dumplings and be sure to cover all the sides. If you prefer not to have the crispy lace-like layer, then, skip the flour and just the same amount of water to cook the dumplings.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook dumplings over medium heat until you hear a sizzling sound and see huge bubbles from the flour mixture. Remove the lid and at this point, dumplings should look plump and cooked through. Most of the water has evaporated and you’ll see a thin layer of slurry (Pic 1).

Continue to cook, uncovered, until the bottom turns golden brown.
Right before the thin layer starts to brown
Turn off the heat, and place a plate in the pan. Then, flip to detach the crispy layer from the pan. Serve warm with the homemade sauce for a delicious meal.
Lacy Potstickers (Crispy Dumpling) Cooking Tips
- Measure the all-purpose or plain flour using a kitchen scale
- Use hot water, which is about 165°F (73°C) which is the lowest setting of my hot water pot. Hot water dough is perfect for potstickers or boiled dumplings.
- If it appears that there are still dry spots of flour in the bowl even after a few minutes of kneading, add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time. Only add enough water to create a unified mass.
- After 30 minutes of resting, it’ll be easier to knead the dough into a smooth texture. If not, let it rest longer, covered.
- A good non-stick pan is highly recommended to create the perfect crispy layer

Lacy Potstickers (Crispy Dumpling) FAQ
- Can I use a store-bought dumpling wrapper? Yes, of course, you may need more than 24 wrappers as my dumpling is a little larger than the store-bought version
- What are other filling options? Actually, the filling is quite flexible, I have made with a variety of vegetables such as bok choy, kale, bean sprouts along with carrot and mushrooms. You can also add peas, beans, or edamame as the protein instead of tofu. You can also sauté the veggies if you prefer not to squeeze the liquid out like how I did in this recipe. Be sure to drain the filling well before wrapping them together.
- Can I store the dumpling wrapper? Yes, but please rub the wrappers with some starch before storing them. It’s advisable to use them within a day and best to use it the same day.
- Can I freeze the dumplings? Yes, you can freeze the dumplings after you wrapped them. Lay the dumplings, one layer, slightly apart on a baking pan that is large enough to fit the freezer. Once the dumplings harden, remove and store them in a bag. Without the first freeze, the dumplings will stick together. When ready, cook them using the same method without thawing.

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!

Lacy Potstickers – 冰花锅贴
Ingredients
Dumpling Wrapper
- 240 g unbleached all-purpose (plain) flour
- 125 ml [½ cup] hot water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 397 g [14oz] firm tofu
- 250 g cabbage chop into tiny bits
- 1 carrot chopped
- 2 stalks green onions chopped
Seasoning for filling
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Dipping Sauce
- 2 tablespoons sambal oelek/sriracha
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 stalk chopped green onions
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup [240ml] water
- oil for cooking
- flour for dusting and cooking
- salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl until well-combined.
- Then, gradually add in the hot water while stirring using a pair of chopsticks/fork. The water temperature should be hot to touch but not boiling hot.
- Once the dough cools down, knead the dough with hand into a unified mass.
- Cover the dough with a lid tightly, and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the Filling
- To make the filling, place chopped cabbage in a bowl and massage it with 1 teaspoon of salt. Then, cover the bowl with a lid and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the tofu in a nutmilk bag, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible and transfer to a bowl.
- After 30 minutes, using the same technique, squeeze out the cabbage liquid, and place them in the same bowl with tofu.
- Top it with chopped carrots, green onions, and stir in the filling seasoning.
- Mix until all the ingredients are well-combined. Here, you can divide the filling into 24 portions and roll into a ball so it'll be easier to fill them into the wrapper.
Dipping Sauce
- To make the dipping sauce, place all the ingredients in a bowl, then, garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds, set aside until ready to use.
How to Make the Dumpling Wrapper
- Place rested dough on a cleaned surface and knead a few more times into a smooth dough.
- Divide it into 24 equal parts and shape each into a ball.
- Work with one dough at a time and cover the rest. Roll out dough into a circular disk, about 3"-4" diameter. I prefer to roll out all the dough before adding the filling.
Assemble the Dumpling
- Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. If the wrapper appears to be dry, dab the edge with water before adding the filling.
- Bring the sides together and pleat to seal. Continue with the rest of the ingredients until all wrappers have been used.
How to cook the dumplings – Potstickers style
- Heat a 12" non-stick pan and add in about 2 teaspoons of oil.
- Place 12 dumplings into the pan and arrange them slightly apart to create a space for the lace. Cook over low-medium heat until the bottom of the dumplings start to brown.
- Then mix 1 tablespoon of flour in 1 cup of water until well combined. Gradually pour the mixture into the pan covering all the gaps.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook over medium heat until you start to hear a sizzling sound and see some huge bubbles popping in the pan.
- Remove the lid and by now, the dumplings should look plump and cooked through. Most water has evaporated leaving a thin layer of slurry.
- Continue to cook until the bottom starts to brown and when you see the crispy sides start to detach from the pan. Adjust the heat accordingly.
- To check, move your pan a little and if the crispy layer detach from the pan, then it's ready. You'll only do this after the bottom has browned nicely.
- Turn off the heat, place a plate into the pan, and flip the pan over (check my video). Serve warm with the premade sauce.
Video
Notes
Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.

Thanks for the detailed step-by-step recipe! I can now make my own crispy bottom dumplings at home, these are to die for!
of course, so glad you like them. 🙂
Hi,
Thanks a LOT for sharing ! I can’t wait to try the recipe, quick question: when you cook the dumpling with the mix water/flour I ses that the water does not cover the dumplings so I was wondering if it’s really fully cooked (bottom to top) ? I imagine if I put pork i. It for example I’d like to make sure the pork is going to be fully cooked.
Thanks in advance foe your good advices!
Claire
Tks
Hi Claire, yes, the water covers part of the uncooked dumplings and we are using the steamed method to cook the dumplings as well. I haven’t tried with meat before so I don’t have a comment on that. You can try adding more water if needed too. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks,WoonHeng