Gourmet #6:
Japanese Gyoza (Dumplings) & Belgian Beer
I have never met a person who doesn't like Japanese Gyoza/ぎょうざ/餃子, that is Japanese Dumplings in English. It is, so to say, a soul food for the Japanese, and I believe the best Gyoza is always the one which is homemade. Luckily I know how to make them.., super delicious ones! So today I would like to share with you how to do my version, step by step.
Ingredients: Serve 3~4 persons
Hakusai/Chinese leaf - 10 leaves
Nira/Flat garlic chive - a bunch
Pork mince - 200g
Ginger, grated - 1 teaspoon
Soy sauce - 1 tablespoon
Sesame oil - 1 tablespoon
Weipa/Chicken soup stock - 1 tablespoon
Dumpling wraps - a pack
I believe you can get these ingredients at most Asian shops.
Chop the veggies into small pieces and put all the ingredients together in a bowl. Weipa and Sesame oil (both 1 tablespoon) are the key.
Mix very well with your hand,
until it looks like this.
then put a spoonful portion in the middle of a dumpling wrap, put some water around the rim then wrap it. (sorry for the pic quality, it's hard to take a picture while doing this!)
all wrapped and ready to fry
get a non-stick skillet, add splash of sesame oil (or sunflower oil), fry for a few minutes,
then add boiled hot water (take a boiled kettle and pour just once around on top of the Gyoza), and put the lid on, let them steam until cooked through (5-7 mins). Once the water evaporates, then leave the dumplings in the pan to form a crisp golden-brown bottom.
Voila!! Crispy outside and juicy inside Gyoza!!
Japanese Gyoza are great to eat with rice, but the best partner is a chilled beer.
Gyoza and a chilled beer.. it's a heavenly combination. I had some fantastic Belgian beer (St. Martin Abbey Triple Beer: http://brunehaut.com/en/products/abbey-beers-stmartin.html) to pair with, lucky me..., best, thing, ever.