Japanese dumpling making

So anyone who knows me knows that my cooking is very hit and miss. I either do a pretty good job or I create the worlds biggest mess. I have been wanting to try these for awhile, since Amy and I had them at the asian restuarent in Manchester. Been trying for ages to find some Gyoza skins and it was looking like I might have to order them off www.japancentre.com but as luck would have it the asian shop in inperial arcade had some in yesterday. No wasabi peas though as my boss bought them out at lunch time.

Anyway heres what you need:

1/3 cup finely chopped cabbage
2 tbsp of spring onion
1tbsp of garlic salt or 2 small gloves finely chopped
1 tbsp of ginger - the recipe called for fresh but I didn't have that so used ground ginger instead. It worked okay
1/2lb of minced pork
2tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
A packet of Gyoza skins - see below

I LOVE how the company is called Happy Belly.

Anyway - put the meat in a bowl. Mix it up with your hands until its abit sticky. Add in the garlic, ginger, Soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix some more, then add the cabbage and onion in. Combine well. It ends up looking like this:

Cover meat mix and bang in the fridge for 30 mins or so so the meat and veg can mix well. Then you spread a little flour on a mat/chopping board (this adds extra crispiness according to the tutorial I watched on youtube). Place a wrapper in the flour for a sec, life up and sit on your palm. With your other hand spoon a bit of the mix in the middle.

Sorry guys I didn't get a photo of that as I had my hands full. Next you wet the tip of your finger with water and run it round the edge of the Gyoza skin. Press it together like a half moon and work in some pleats. And you end up with. . . . . . . .  Drum roll please . . . ..


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Da da! 

Next heat a wok/fry pan and brush with some sesame oil. Arrange the dumplings in and fry on high heat for 1 min. After that pour over boiling water till they are about half submerged, put a lid on and steam for 5-6 mins.

The water should all evaporate away and one side be golden brown. Plate up, mix some soy sauce and vinegar together and serve. Voila!

They were delicious and my belly is very happy!