Ginkgo Nut Dumplings With Simple Dipping Sauce Food

SUPER QUICK GYOZA SAUCE (JUST 4 INGREDIENTS!)

Steps:

• In a small dipping bowl add your soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and chilli flakes.
• Add any optional extras, give one final mix and serve with hot gyoza.

DUMPLINGS WITH A CRISPY SKIRT

Steps:

• Soak the mushrooms in a medium bowl with 3 cups cool water. Stir to moisten the entire surface of the mushrooms. Set aside at room temperature for at least 3 hours and up to 4 hours.
• When the mushrooms are nearly rehydrated, toss the cabbage with 1 tablespoon salt in a medium bowl and let sit until liquid pools at the bottom, about 15 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the cabbage in between two hands and transfer the cabbage to a large bowl. Add the pork, 1/2 cup of the mushroom soaking water, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix only in one direction using chopsticks until the pork-and-cabbage mixture starts to become sticky. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the neutral oil until evenly mixed.
• Remove and discard the stems from the mushrooms. Finely chop the mushrooms and add to the pork filling. Stir until combined.
• Set up a dumpling wrapping station with the following: a small bowl of cold water for sealing, the pork-and-cabbage filling, gyoza wrappers kept in the package and a large plate or baking sheet lined with plastic wrap to prevent the dumplings from sticking.
• Place one gyoza wrapper in your palm, add 1 tablespoon of the filling to the center, then lightly dab the perimeter of the wrapper with cold water (I use my index finger). Fold into a half-moon shape and seal the midpoint, leaving the sides open. Make 2 pleats starting from the left side of the half-moon folding towards the midpoint then firmly press the pleated side to seal. Repeat the pleating on the right side. Firmly press to seal the dumpling and thin out the edge of the wrapper slightly. Place the finished dumplings on the prepared plate. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling (see Cook's Note).
• Whisk together 1/2 cup cold water, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of the flour and 1/4 teaspoon of the white vinegar in a small bowl until the slurry is smooth and free of lumps.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet (about 11-inch) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange 10 dumplings in a concentric circle or flower pattern (place the pointy end of each dumpling in the center of the skillet with the pleated side of the next dumpling facing the flat side of the previous one). Fry until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir the slurry before pouring into the skillet, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over medium heat, moving the skillet as needed for even browning, until the skirt looks dry, crisp and golden brown. Remove from the heat, place a large dinner plate over the skillet and carefully invert the dumplings onto the plate with the skirt-side up. Serve immediately with Chinese black vinegar, for dipping.
• Repeat making the slurry and frying the remaining dumplings or freeze the dumplings on the plastic wrap-lined plate until frozen, then transfer the frozen dumplings to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

GINKGO NUT DUMPLINGS WITH SIMPLE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• If you are using fresh ginkgo nuts, gently crack the shells. Blanch the nuts in salted water for 1 minute, then shock in ice water. Alternatively, toast the nuts in a dry skillet until they turn green. After blanching or toasting, rub off the papery skin using your fingers or a clean kitchen towel. If you are using canned ginkgos, simply rinse.
• Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the nuts and a dash of salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add the scallion whites, the ginger, and mirin and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the nuts to a plate to cool and return the pan to the stove. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sauté the bok choy with a dash of salt until the leaves are cooked down to half their original size. The bok choy should be mostly dry when you add it to the pan; otherwise, the dumpling filling will be wet. Remove the bok choy from the heat and let cool.
• Put the nuts and bok choy in the bowl of a food processor. Add all but 2 teaspoons of the scallion greens. Pulse until the mixture is blended but still chunky. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt.
• In a small bowl, whisk the flour with 2 tablespoons water. Brush the edges of a dumpling wrapper with the flour paste. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling on the wrapper and fold the wrapper into a half moon. Press the edges to seal. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers and filling.
• To make the dipping sauce, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, and the reserved scallion greens. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
• Steam the dumplings in a covered steamer basket for 4 minutes. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

DUMPLINGS WITH GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a small bowl, mix the dipping sauce ingredients, stirring until the sugar dissolves; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the pork, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sherry, gingerroot and garlic.
• Place the wonton skins on a work surface and cover them with a damp towel. Remove the wonton skins 1 at a time and place about 1 teaspoon filling in the center; do no overstuff or the wontons won't seal securely. Moisten the edges of the wontons with water. Bring 2 opposite corners to the center, pinching the points to seal, then bring remaining 2 corners to center, pinching the points to seal. Repeat with the remaining wonton skins and filling.
• Add the wontons in batches (if you add too many at once they may stick together) to the boiling water. Stir gently with a wooden spoon and bring back to a boil; boil 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the wontons to a platter. Serve with a dipping sauce.

DUMPLING DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and star anise and bring them to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring so that the sugar dissolves. Once it does, remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool. Discard the star anise before serving.
• This sauce keeps well in the refrigerator indefinitely and can also be multiplied, though you'll want to start with slightly less vinegar and adjust to taste.

DANGO (SWEET JAPANESE DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Combine the Mochiko slowly and gradually with the water in the mixing bowl, trying to get a solid-but-squishy dough.
• Knead the dough well.
• Make small round dumplings (or Dango) with the dough, roughly 1 inch in diameter at the most.
• Steam the dango for 10-15 mins in the steamer on medium or high heat, depending on your steamer.
• When they are done (brownled slightly) take them off and let the cool on a wire rack.
• Mix the sugar, water (Larger mesurement) and soysauce in the small pan over a medium heat.
• Combine the Katakuriko with the small tablespoon and a half of water.
• When the sauce starts to boil, add the mixture in the cup to it, mix and remove from heat.
• Grill the dango slightly and add the sauce to taste.
• YUM! Anime-licous!

DUMPLINGS WITH GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• In a small bowl, mix the dipping sauce ingredients, stirring until the sugar dissolves; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix the pork, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sherry, gingerroot and garlic.
• Place the wonton skins on a work surface and cover them with a damp towel.
• Remove the wonton skins 1 at a time and place about 1 teaspoon filling in the center; do no overstuff or the wontons won't seal securely.
• Moisten the edges of the wontons with water. Bring 2 opposite corners to the center, pinching the points to seal, then bring remaining 2 corners to center, pinching the points to seal.
• Repeat with the remaining wonton skins and filling.
• Add the wontons in batches (if you add too many at once they may stick together) to the boiling water. Stir gently with a wooden spoon and bring back to a boil; boil 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the wontons to a platter.
• Serve with a dipping sauce.