CHICKEN GYOZA

I have wanted to try my hand at making Gyoza for months but have never gotten around to it, due to the fact that it is very time consuming and usually made with pork (one of the meats I don’t really like the taste of). As I was flicking through my diary aimlessly the other night I saw an entry of all the dishes I want to make in the future. CHICKEN GYOZA was at the top of the list. My guilt overpowered me. 

Now, in Japanese and other Asian restaurants, when you order gyoza as an appetiser it appears on your table in minutes, correct?. And because of this I have never thought extensively about the effort that must go into cooking these fiddly dumplings. All I can say is that after constructing my own at home, I have a new appreciation for the work and time that goes into preparing these bad boys. However, the gyoza was so tasty that I think I will endure this nightmarish preparation stage every two weeks or so as the end result is extremely appetizing. 

INGREDIENTS
Gyoza

• 500g chicken mince
• 2 1/2 cups wombok (chinese cabbage), finely shredded
• 2-3 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3cm fresh ginger, grated
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 1-2 egg whites, beaten 
• 2 x 275g packet of gow gee wrappers
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Dipping sauce 

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

COOKING

1. Place the chicken mince, carrot, green onion, wombok, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and hoisin sauce in a large bowl. Combine well. 

2. Place the gow gee wrappers under a damp tea-towel so they do not dry out. Place 1 heaped teaspoon of the mince mixture onto one wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with egg white and fold over to seal. Pleat the edges together with your fingers to seal. Repeat this until all gow gee wrappers have been used or until mince has run out. 

(NOTE- this part sounds easy, but it is quite fiddly. I found that I had to wash my hands often as they became covered with mince and were slippery when I tried to seal the edges of the wrappers. It is also very important that you place the wrappers under a damp tea-towel and take them out one by one, otherwise they dry out and will break). 

3. Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Place as many dumplings as possible in the pan, without overlapping them. Cook for around 2 minutes or until one side is lightly browned, then flip the dumplings over to cook the other side. When browned on both sides remove from pan. Continue to add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil as you add new dumplings to the pan. 

4. Heat a large saucepan with boiling water. Place around 7-8 browned dumplings in the saucepan for 4-5 minutes or until the gyoza are tender but not soggy. Cover cooked gyoza with foil. Continue this until all the gyoza have been steamed. Place gyoza in a colander to drain. 

5. Meanwhile, make the sauce by combining the soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar and the sesame seeds. Serve the gyoza with the sauce drizzled over the dumplings or on the side. 

x E