How to make Gyoza (Fried Dumpling)

I love gyoza. My lil girl love gyoza. JP love gyoza too. It is a snack that is both comforting and filling to the tummy. We often pay RM10 for 4 pieces of gyoza to be share among 3 of us. It is nice but we never have enough. My Hungarian friend has been asking me to share with her some Chinese dishes and I think this will be a good dish. So, I decided I should try it from home.

Here’s the list of ingredient I used

Mince Pork – 500 gsm
Shitake Mushroom – 4 pieces
Spring Onion – 3 stalks
Red Carrot – 1 medium size
Dumpling Skin (Ready Pack) – 1 Pack

Marination:
Lite Soy Source – 6 Table spoon
Sesame Source – 1 teaspoon
White Pepper – 1 table spoon
Chinese Rice Wine (Chao Xing) – 1 tablespoon
Corn Flour – 4 table spoon

Here’s my simple steps. Add in 6 tablespoon of lite soya source, 1 table spoon of Chinese Rice wine, 1 tea spoon of sesame oil, 1 table spoon of white pepper. Picture below are the Chinese Rice wine I used.

 

Then, mix well. Do taste the meat if is salty enough. The mixture to be a little salty because we need to add other fresh ingredient to balance the overall taste. Then, put in 4 table spoon of corn flour to marry all the mixture together. Corn flour also make the meat more tender.

I cut my Shitake mushroom and soak them inside hot water to reduce the wood taste. While soaking the mushroom, I shred the carrot and cut the spring onion finely. Last, I cut the Shitake mushroom to same small size.

I mix all the vegetable into the marinated pork and mix well. You can also use other ingredient like leek, corn, garlic, onion, ginger, jiuchai and etc. Just cut the ingredient finely before mixing. Beside, do not mix more then 3 types of  ingredient. The taste will be too overwhelming. It should be in the ratio of  5 Meat: 1 vege: 1 vege: 1 vege. Garlic and ginger need to use in moderation unless you love the sharp taste.

I have my dumpling mixture ready and my packet of dumpling skin I bought from local supermarket.

Place the dumpling skin on a dry surface, take a tablespoon of the mixture and place it in the middle. Draw half circle with clean drinking water around the edge of the dumpling skin. Fold the dumpling to half and ensure the 2 side of the dumpling skin stick together.

You can fold the skin in scallop shape to ensure the skin is close tied. Else, using your finger to press them together and ensure no hole in between. Meanwhile, put a pot of water to boil while you insert the mixture into the dumpling skin.

Now all your dumpling is done, throw the dumpling inside the boiling water, one by one. The dumpling will stay in shape if the wrapping is done well.

Depending on the size of your pot, be sure to leave enough room for the dumpling so they won’t stick to one another. Do feel free to use the scoop to help the dumpling. I throw in 8-12 dumpling into my medium size pot. When the dumpling is floating on top of the water, means they are ready!

Lift it up and directly transfer them into a frying pan which was heat up with 2 table spoon oil (medium fire). It is ok that your dumpling is still sticky and wet. The moisture will help the dumpling to coat with the oil in the pan well. If your frying pan not too heavy, do flip the dumpling by shaking the pan front and back. Else, add more oil and flip with your spatula often so they don’t stick to the pan, or one another.

When the skin start to crisp up. Your dumpling is ready! 🙂

Eat with Black Vinegar. Enjoy! 🙂

 

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Recipe for egg & cheese lover

JP send me a Facebook message with an egg & cheese toast picture.

He say: “Make it, make it!”

So, If you love egg and cheese like JP and my lil Issy, you must try this. What make it better….it can be done within 15 min from preparation to oven and serving hot on table. I am not the creative master mind behind this recipe. 🙂

Anyway, here’s what you need…

4 pieces of breads, 2 eggs and some mozzarella cheese

Take one bread and cut a square in the middle. Try not the break the bread but just cut the shape and use your clean finger to press the bread down into the shape (as picture above). Place this slice of bread on top of another slice of bread.

Break an egg into the square slot you created. You will notice the egg white will go though the first slice of bread and wet the bottom one. That is the reason for having 2 layers instead of one. But, if you have a thick slice of bread, you can skip the bottom layer.

Now, add the mozzarella cheese around the eggs. Avoid the egg yoke (as picture above).

Let it go into the oven for a good 5-8 mins with 200 celsius. Do remember to check on your toast often as the duration may be varies from oven to oven.

It is up to you…to have the egg and cheese in the crispy finish like a pizza, or have it half boil with silky cheese and crispy bread.

I have mine like a pizza as JP is rushing off and he can have it in a run.

The inner texture is still soft and fluffy. I finish my egg & cheese toast with some black pepper, paisley and sprinkle of salt for taste. It is soooooo comforting to me tummy. You must give it a try. You won’t regret it. I promise! 🙂

 

Soup for the wise

Are you the type of mommy who need to prepare food for your family at least 3 times a day? I am. 🙂

Is good to be able to cook for your love ones. But, sometimes… I just don’t have the time to cook. Still, I try not buy out although it is quite easy and cheap to eat out or order take away compare with other country. It is just a 5 min walk, cost RM5 meal for 2. But, I often question the quality of food I am getting. They are often high in sodium, carbo and protein with very little, almost non vegetable. Else, they are not up to my taste. 😛

So, very often I push myself to come out with something simple and nutritious. I also tried not to compromise on the quality of food in term of ingredients used. I tried to avoid process food, less oil, sugar and salt. I am all in for recipe which is quick, healthy and appetizing.

I attended a parenting course recently and share my struggle in prepare “fast” food. I am very blessed to be among an experience counselor who share with me a quick way to prepare a quick meal… always have some chicken stock ready.

The idea is to cook a pot of chicken stock with various vegetables. Slowly boil till all the essence of the ingredients melted in the soup. Then, leave it cold and store in a air tight container in the freezer.

So, I have 1 chicken, 2 big carrot, 2 sweet corn, 2 big onion and boiling them slowly for an hour or so…

You can also use cabbage, reddish, potato and even leek. Just put them together and boil them away!

I store up total of 12 tub of stock ready to be used in spaghetti, pasta, la men, Cantonese soup rice, grass noodles, risottos, porridge, mix vege pot, tofu pot and etc. The possibility is unlimited. I no longer need waste time to boiling chicken stock and defrost meat. The depth of the stock is enough to created the flavour needed. The rest is just the little bits and pieces of ingredient to create different variation of flavour, the presentation for a more appetizing and nutritious meal. All in 30 mins or less, depending on recipe.