First, prepare the cornstarch or flour slurry that will create the crispy, lacy bottom on the potstickers. In a cup, mix the water with the cornstarch or flour and stir until smooth. Set aside.

Next, pour the oil into a nonstick skillet, then arrange the frozen dumplings in the pan in a single layer. There's no need to thaw the dumplings or preheat the pan. Thawed dumplings can break easily, and preheating the pan can cause the bottoms to burn and stick. Once the dumplings are arranged, turn the heat to medium or medium-high, then pour in the prepared slurry (the water should come about halfway up the sides of the dumplings). Immediately cover the pan with a lid and let the dumplings steam until the water has mostly evaporated.

After about 10 to 15 minutes (depending on your stove and pan), when most of the water is gone, remove the lid and reduce the heat to low or medium-low. Let the remaining water evaporate and the bottoms become golden and crispy. Once the bottoms are crisp and lacy, they're ready to enjoy!