Perfect Pot Stickers

To make the filling: Place ground pork, green onions, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and cayenne in a mixing bowl. Top with chopped green cabbage. Mix with fork until thoroughly combined. Tamp down lightly; cover with plastic. Refrigerate until chilled, about an hour.

To make the dough: Place 2 ½ cups of flour and kosher salt in a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in hot water. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a shaggy dough. Flour your hands and transfer dough to a work surface. Knead dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 3 to 5 minutes. If dough seems too sticky, sprinkle with a bit more flour, up to an additional 1/2 cup, and continue to knead. Wrap dough ball in plastic, and let it rest about 30 minutes.

When dough has rested, divide into 4 equal pieces. Cover 3 pieces with a dish cloth while you work the first piece. Roll into a small log about the thickness of a thumb, about 3/4 inch. Divide each log into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin 3 ½-inch circle on a lightly floured surface to form the pot sticker wrappers. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.

Lightly moisten the edges of a wrapper with your wet finger. Place a small scoop of the ground pork mixture onto the center of a wrapper. Fold up the 2 sides and pinch together in the center. Pinch together the remaining edges, forming "pleats" along one side. Tap the pot sticker on the work surface to slightly flatten the bottom; form a slight curve in it so it stands upright in the pan. Transfer to a well-floured plate. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

To make the dipping sauce: Mix seasoned rice vinegar and soy sauce together in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Place about 6 or 7 pot stickers in the hot oil, flat-side down. Cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drizzle in water and quickly cover the pan; steam for 3 minutes. Uncover; reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking until water evaporates and bottoms are browned and crunchy, 1 or 2 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Repeat with remaining pot stickers.

Serve dumplings with dipping sauce.