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True Asian dining often yields dishes that offer natural portion control. In Japanese cuisine, this is recognized by most people as sushi--a medley of flavors served up in bite-sized pieces. However, in Chinese-American cuisine, many people fall into the trap of Lo Mein or Teriyaki Chicken, so often served slathered with sauce with a large side of fried rice. Only recently has Dim Sum--the Tapas of the East--become popular in the West, but if you're not one to cook up five different mini meals for yourself just to keep your portions down, then moving away from the fried egg-noodles might be a difficult transition.
However, if you are familiar with any Asian cuisine, you know about the glory of pot stickers. These small, two-bite dumplings are infinitely customizable, dip-able and, of course, delicious. Plus, put five of them on your plate and you'll be surprised how full you'll be once you've consumed the lot. Made with turkey, pork or beef and spiced any way you want, these fried and steamed dumplings can create a meal that you're proud of (and not regretting later).
As it is with many of the best Asian dishes, however, pot stickers are no walk in the park. The filling itself isn't difficult to make, though everything you put inside must be chopped very finely. No, the chore comes to creating the dumplings, crimping the edges and making sure that the wrapper dough doesn't stick and pull apart. These dumplings are by no means a 30-minute meal, but making them can be fun and seeing the finished product is so fulfilling (in more ways than one).
Beef Pot Stickers
by Chef K and Chef E
Makes 30-40 dumplings
Ingredients:
3/4 lb ground lean beef
1 egg
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
1/2 cup green onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup water chestnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup shitake mushroom, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
black pepper
40 gyoza wrappers
Canola oil (for frying)
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add ginger, garlic, onion, water chestnut, mushroom and pepper. Fry up a tsp of mixture to taste and make adjustments.
Lay gyoza wrappers on wax paper. (Note: You may want to keep a small bowl of all-purpose flour nearby to keep the dough from sticking from surfaces or each other.) Place tsp of mixture into center of gyoza wrapper. Dipping your finger in water, trace around half the wrapper. Fold over and pinch to seal well, especially at bottom corners.
In a large frying pan, fry 5-7 dumplings seam-up in 1 tbsp of oil on medium heat for 30 seconds or until bottoms are golden brown. Then add 1/4 cup water. Immediately turn heat to low, cover and cook for 7-8 minutes, until the dumplings look translucent or most of the liquid has evaporated.
Serve up with a small cup of white rice and steamed baby bok choy and enjoy!
Try this recipe with ground pork or turkey and play with your own spice combinations. Try adding cabbage for a veggie twist or Chinese Five Spice for an interesting flavor. Either way, no dumpling would be complete without a delicious dipping sauce that's both sweet and savory!
Gyoza Dipping Sauce
by Chef E
Ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp toasted sesame seed
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
In a small bowl, combine soy sauce and sugar, whisking well. Add sesame oil, sesame seed, garlic powder and onion powder and mix well. Use as a dipping sauce or pour over dumplings!
Side Dishes
Sometimes, your tastebuds demand something so delicious that there's no way it could be good for you. And when it's paired with a lighter, healthier meal, by all means, have at it! That's why we came up with this delicious crab rangoon recipe--crispy, creamy and salty--for your dining pleasure!
Crab and Cream Cheese Rangoons
by Chef E
Ingredients:
1 pkg (8 oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 can crab meat, drained OR 4 oz lump crab meat
white pepper
wonton wrappers
For best results, use lump crab meat from your grocery store's seafood section. If using canned crab meat, drain it from the can and, using a cheesecloth, wring the crab meat until it is very dry. Wherever you get your crab meat, you must ensure that the meat is dry or else you will not be able to successfully fry your rangoons. (A big thanks to Foodie in Disguise for helping us figure this one out!)
Mix in the crab with the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add white pepper to taste.
Place tsp of mixture into center of wonton wrapper. Turn the wrapper so that the corner faces you and that it looks like a diamond. Dipping your finger into water, trace the bottom two sides of the wonton wrapper and fold the corner upward, sealing the corner and sides 1/8 inch away from the top. Then, fold in the left and right corners, sealing one on top of the other, to form a pastry that looks like an open envelope.
Fry them in oil that is at 350 to 375°F for about a minute or until golden brown. Let them sit on a paper towel to dry. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Bon Appétit!
Sure, these dishes might not be authentic, but if you grew up eating Asian-American food like us, why not enjoy a more gourmet version? And the fillings for both the pot stickers and the crab rangoons are really up to you--go vegetarian for one and turkey and vegetable for the other. Regardless of what you do, their manageable size remains the same, leaving you to fill your belly one tasty bite at a time! (Though, learning how to use chopsticks is a whole other matter!)
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