Momotaro Foods - Chinese style stuffed dumplings (Gyouza)

Momotaro Foods - The Japanese Food Network

Vegetarian Recipe 13

Chinese style stuffed dumplings

(Gyouza)

DESCRIPTION

Gyouza are originally from China, and have been adapted to a more Japanese taste. The dough for the dumpling wrappers is difficult to make properly, as it is only flour and water and tends to dry and crumble quickly. Therefore the best thing is to buy ready made ones. Gyouza are often served with rice, or sometimes with Ramen noodles(see our instant food list), but are excellent as a starter, as an accompanying dish to vegetables and soup or in sufficient quantities as a meal on its own.

The recipe here replaces the original pork with tofu.

INGREDIENTS

For 4 people

200 gms tofu
50 gms chives (or spring onion)
1 clove of garlic (optional)
150 gms Chinese cabbage
10 gms fresh ginger
15 ml (1 tablespoon) shoyu
15 ml (1 tablespoon) cooking sake
15 ml (1 tablespoon) sesame oil
10 gms (2 teaspoons) potato starch
75 ml (5 tablespoons hot water)
1 packet (24) round gyouza thin pastry wrappers
15 ml (1 tablespoon) vegetable oil

For the dip:

30 ml (2 tablespoon) rice vinegar
15 ml shoyu
5 ml (1 teaspoon) La-Yu chilli oil or Thinly sliced fresh ginger

METHOD

Chop the chives, garlic (if using), Chinese cabbage and peeled fresh ginger very finely.
Drain very thoroughly then mince the tofu
Add the tofu, shoyu, sake, sesame oil and potato starch and mix until sticky
Roll some of the mixture into a ball about 3 cm in diameter (dependent on the size of your pastry wrappings)
Put into pastry rounds and fold over, pinching together the edges like a Cornish pasty
Mix the dip ingredients and divide between 4 very small bowls
When all gyouza are ready, heat the vegetable oil to medium hot in a large frying pan
Place as many gyouza as will fit into the pan, and fry until crispy and brown on one side
Turn the gyouza over, cook for 1 minute, then add the hot water, cover and steam until all the water is absorbed (about 5 minutes)
Repeat steps 6 to 8 until all gyouza are cooked
Serve with the dip.