Recipe: Gyoza I

I don't know how bloggers take all those photos of the food while the cook. Aren't their hands full of flour, the kitchen table too messy, their mind on what to do next, if the water with flour ready for the pour? In addition to all that Nathan needed help doing his lego (he just needs attention ALL the time!!!) - Mama I want you to help me....

A friend Kei showed me how to make some guotie with bought skins and filling she made. I was really eager to try it but had to find my ingredients first (the right gyoza skin)

Just for info:

Gyoza is a staple Beijing dish that my father in law introduced to me. It was the first meal we had together and I think I didn't make a great impression eating 15 of them in one meal. I loved it. Unlike dumplings one sees in dim sum meals, Beijing gyoza is boiled, not steamed and filled with lots of vegetables and less meat. The skin is handmade and rolled fresh ready to be filled.

In Taiwan, guotie is more popular. They are 'fried' gyozas. Gyoza's (in the mainland) are boiled and the left overs are fried the next day and called guotie. In Taiwan, guotie is the norm; they use more meat fillings and mass produced skins. which withstand the frying. The end result has a crispy bottom where the dumpling sits on the pan which contrasts to the top which is steamed.

In Japan, their dumplings are fried like the Taiwanese guotie but their fillings are completely different. Their skins are different too. I don't know how to make Japanese dumplings, which the Americans pronounce differently than the Beijing gyoza although spelt the same. Their fillings are quiet complex and not as fresh tasting as the original.

So, how did I make mine? I am writing this out to for my reference and future trials.

Guotie

Minced pork
Ginger juice
Cabbage, finely sliced, salted overnight and squeezed
Garlic chives, finely sliced
Spring onions
Rocket, finely sliced (just because it needed using)
Salt
Pepper
Oyster sauce
Soy sauce
Sake (substitute for chinese wine)
Sesame Oil
Chicken Oil
Sugar

Mix all the ingredients
Prepare a plate for the wrapped guotie
Sprinkle flour on the plate
Have a small bowl of water handy
Prepare the water and flour mixture (1 cup)
Make the guotie
Hold the wrapped in one hand,
Fill with a teaspoon of filling
Wet one half edge with water
Join the two halves together making a frill pattern, try to ensure there is no air in the guotie (takes skill)
Arrange the guotie on the plate
Heat pan till very hot
Pour enough oil to cover the pan and a bit more
When the oil is hot, arrange the guotie on the pan
Pour the flour and water mixture and immediately close the pan
Leave for 15 minutes and make sure the filling is cooked
Prise carefully around the pan
Place a plate over the pan and turn it over so the guotie looks like a fried pancake

Eat

It came out tasting a bit bitter, because of the rocket, I think. But it had a lovely cabbage taste. Nathan might have been really hungry because he ate most of it. I think I had only 3? So my comments arent properly validated. Stephen thought they were nice, and ate the rest of it with noodles. I think I should have let the filling marinate for a while.