Pot Stickers & Yakisoba

I am a lover of sushi. There. I said it. We ate at one of our neighbor sushi joints the other night and it inspired me to break out my Japanese cooking skills! This right here is making me hungry for more!

These three ingredients I ALWAYS have on hand...and you can make anything Asian-style!

• Pure Sesame Oil

• Soy Sauce 

• Rice Vinegar

GOYZA

Ingredients:

·         1/3 cup chopped cabbage (boiled)

·         2 tbsps chopped green onion

·         1/2 pound ground pork

·         1 tsp sesame oil

·         1 tsp sugar

·         2 tsps soysauce

·         1/2 tsp garlic salt

·         1 tsp grated fresh ginger

·         20 gyoza wrappers

·         1 tbsp vegetable oil

*Makes 4 servings  (I ALWAYS double it because they are a hit at our house)

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients other than oil in a bowl and mix well by hands.

2. Place a teaspoonful of filling in a gyoza wrapper and put water along the edge of the wrapper by fingers.

3. Make a triangle, gathering the front side of the wrapper and sealing the top down to the edges. 

4.Heat oil in a frying pan. Put gyoza in the pan and fry on high heat until the bottoms become brown.

5. Turn down the heat to low. Add 1/4 cup water in the pan. 

6. Cover the pan and steam the gyoza on low heat until the water is gone.

You can't have goyza without a dipping sauce! It just wouldn't be right!  

Spicy Gyoza Sauce

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, green onions, and sesame oil in a bowl; allow to sit 15 minutes before serving. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

I usually serve Yakisoba with the Pot Stickers. Yakisoba was a personal staple in my diet while I lived in Japan. I was thrilled to find it in the local grocery store when I came back home. Since I've introduced this to my hubby & kids, well, its been love at first taste.  (And YES, it is WAY better than chow mein noodles!)

To find Yakisoba in your local grocery store, go to the Asian section (usually where tofu is sold) or ask for help. Cooking instructions are on the package. Add your favorite vegetables. The usual vegis I put in vary; but aren't exclusive to: chopped cabbage, 1 sweet onion (halved & sliced), minced ginger, sliced celery, carrots, japanese eggplant, mushrooms, bean sprouts, scallions (for garnish), or anything else that may satisfy you.