Not Your Normal Dumplings

May I just say that this Japanese blog is the best thing that's every happened to my kitchen? Everything I make from there is seriously delicious. Including these: these are gyoza, which are basically Japanese dumplings. Call them wontons, potstickers, whatever. Just make them!

GYOZA
from japanesefoodaddict.com
Yield: 2-4 servings
Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
• 32 gyoza wrappers (get wonton wrappers from Albertson's. That's what I did and it was less than 3 bucks)
• 1/4 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb cabbage (chopped)
• 1/2 cup green onion (chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp ginger (minced)
• 1/2 tsp sugar (for mixing with pork)
• 1/4 tsp salt (for mixing with pork)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil (for mixing with pork)
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sake
• dash pepper
• 1/4 tsp flour
• 1 tsp sesame oil (for grilling gyoza)

How To:
1. Knead the pork in a bowl then add sugar, salt and sesame oil
2. Add cabbage and green onion, then knead. Add soy sauce, sake and sprinkle pepper
3. Mix flour and 3 tsp of water in small bowl
4. Put roughly 1 or 1.5 tsp pork in the middle of a gyoza wrapper. Dip your fingers in the flour water, and spread it around the edge of the gyoza wrapper. Fold in half and pinch softly around the edge.
5. Boil 1 cup water
6. Heat the oil in a pan, then place the gyoza, heavy side down, into the pan
7. Add 1 cup boiling water, cover, and cook until the water evaporates (about 4 minute) over high heat
8. Add 1 tsp sesame oil (roll pan to distribute)
9. It is ready when gyoza becomes a little browned on the bottom
10. Serve with vinegar/soy sauce mixture for dipping
 
Notes:
- I grew up making these with venison. My dad is a hunter and whenever we had ground venison (which is all the time) my brother and I would close wonton wrappers and watch TV. The point is you can fill these with anything- carrots, tofu, sprouts, chicken, turkey, venison, etc. Go for it and experiment!
- I didn't use cabbage, or sake, or sesame oil. I just used regular vegetable oil.

Enjoy!