Page 24 - ALG Issue 1 2020

cooking
with Erin
Erin is a chef and teacher based in Stroud. Each issue, she will be sharing with us a few of her delicious recipes for using allotment produce. www.naturalcookeryschool.com Photographs: ©Michael Ruggier
Brussels sprout, leek and
shiitake gyoza
(Japanese dumplings, also known as pot stickers)
Gyoza dumpling wrappers
200g plain flour
100g boiling water
1⁄2 tsp salt
Potato or tapioca starch for dusting
Place the flour in a bowl. Add the salt to the water and stir. Slowly add the water into the flour. Begin bringing together with your hands in the bowl; this should eventually come together to form a dough while cleaning the sides of the bowl. Add a bit more water if needed. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and shape into logs, wrap in cling film and rest the dough for 30 minutes.
Cut each log into 12 pieces. Form each piece into a ball and cover with a damp towel. Lightly flour the surface with potato or tapioca starch, one at a time; press each ball into a circle with the palm of your hand then, from the middle out, roll into a circle. Cut with a 4cm cutter or large mug. Stack the wrapper with a dusting of flour in between. Keep the scraps to form more dumpling skins.
Japanese gyoza dumplings are pan fried and then steamed to create multiple textures in one bite. The filling uses a combination of Brussels sprouts, leek and shiitake mushrooms which provide a wonderful texture
to the filling and a deep flavour. The wrappers are easily found in the freezer section of most world foods shops. This recipe makes quite a few of these tasty dumplings, but they can be frozen before cooking and then cooked from frozen. Simply place the assembled dumplings on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze. Once frozen, transfer into a freezer bag and seal shut.
Remember to take your time slicing
the vegetables as the final product is quite small. Although a bit of shrinkage occurs when cooking the vegetables for the filling, large pieces will be difficult to work with and potentially poke through the gyoza skins.
Makes about 30
For the dipping sauce
3 tbsps soy sauce or 11⁄2 tbsps tamari 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsps ginger, finely grated
1 spring onion, finely sliced
For the gyoza
1 tbsp oil – rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable
2 carrots, peeled and grated
100g Brussels sprouts or 1⁄2 small
winter cabbage, very finely chopped 100g shiitake or brown mushrooms,
very finely chopped
1 small leek or 1⁄2 large, halved and
thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2.5cm (1 inch) fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce or 1⁄2 tbsp tamari
Oil for frying - rapeseed, sunflower or
vegetable
1 pack of round gyoza wrappers, also
called dumplings or pot stickers, or use recipe here (right)
To make the dipping sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir. Let down with a bit of water if it is too strong.
To make the gyoza filling, heat a frying pan and add the oil. Add the carrots, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and leek and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, moving them around the pan regularly. Add the garlic, ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce. Cook for another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in
the middle of a wrapper. Fold the gyoza wrapper by lifting either side of the wrapper up and pinching at the top to create a flat bottom. Pinch the edges together to crimp or pleat to seal it shut.
Cook the gyozas in batches. Heat a small amount of oil in a large frying
pan or wok. When the oil is ready, carefully add the dumplings, flat bottom down, and cook on a high heat until golden brown (about 1 minute). Without turning the dumplings over, add 60ml of water to the pan and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and steam the dumplings. Check the dumplings after 2 minutes. When the wrappers appear slightly translucent, continue to cook until all the water has evaporated (about 2 minutes). Once you hear a sizzling sound, shake the pan. The dumplings should slide about. If they seem to stick, move the pan away from the hob and replace the lid for a moment. Remove the dumplings from the pan with a rubber spatula. If you like, flip them over so the seared surface faces up. Cook the remaining dumplings the same way.
24 Allotment and Leisure Gardener