Chinese Dumplings (Gyoza)
prep time: 00:45+defrost time
cook time: 00:30
serves: 10-15
cost: $4.50

Joanna lived in Japan for 7 years. That is why she knows how to make these Chinese dumplings.

Makes about 50
Round gyoza wrappers


1/2 lb cabbage or Chinese cabbage


1/2 lb lean ground meat
2 scallions, minced
1/2 t ginger juice (grate ginger and squeeze out juice)
1 t salt
1 T rice wine
2 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil

1 egg
2 T water


dipping sauce:
soy sauce
vinegar
chili sesame oil
scallions (optional)
 Gyoza wrappers are available at Asian food stores, usually frozen, but sometimes refrigerated. Defrost wrappers if necessary. This can be done carefully in the microwave, but if they get moist they will stick together in a gloppy mess, so it's best to let them defrost slowly in the refrigerator (overnight).

Boil a large pan of water and blanch cabbage for several minutes and drain well. Chop into very fine pieces and squeeze out as much liquid as possible (a lot!). Combine ground meat, scallions, seasonings and oil in a bowl and mix well. Add cabbage and mix again.

Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of a wrapper. Mix egg with water. Dip your finger in the egg/water mixture and trace around the edge of half the wrapper. Fold in half, forming a crescent shape, and crimp firmly to seal. Repeat for remaining dumplings.

To cook dumplings, you can boil, pan fry, or steam them.

Boiled: Put 1/3 of the dumplings one by one into a large pot (<3/4 full) of boiling water over high heat. When water comes to a second boil, add 1 cup of cold water and lower heat. When water comes to third boil and dumplings float up and become translucent with meat sticking to wrapper, remove them with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining dumplings in two batches. Sprinkle a little of the cooking water over the dumplings to keep them from sticking together.Pan Fried: Heat 1 T of oil in a 10" frying pan (that has a lid) until hot. Place about 15 - 20 dumplings in pan, cook over medium high heat until bottom side is brown (check by picking one up). Add 1/4 cup water, cover, reduce heat, and cook for about 7 minutes. Remove cover and let any remaining water boil off. Remove dumplings from pan with a spatula. Flip over on serving plate so that browned sides are up. Repeat with remaining dumplings. You may want to add an extra 1 T sesame oil to filling for pan fried dumplings.

Steamed: Place dumplings in a bamboo steamer for about 12 minutes. They may be easier to remove if the bottom of the steamer is oiled first.

Serve with dipping sauce made from 1:1 mixture of soy sauce and vinegar plus desired amount of chili sesame oil and minced scallions.

Variations: (1) Use Chinese chives instead of scallions and/or cabbage. (2) Add dried mushrooms (soak in water to soften, then mince and squeeze water out) in place of some cabbage. (3) Substitute raw minced shrimp for some or all of the ground meat. (4) Eliminate meat, increase the amount of cabbage, add other vegies such as blanched spinach, dried mushrooms, blanched minced carrots, etc. You should increase the oil to get a nice sticky filling.