Gyoza (Potstickers)

Known in Japan as gyoza, pot-sticker dumplings are easy to prepare,
and make a delicious appetizer or party hors d'oeurve. This recipes is
from Chef Hiroko Shimbo.

Makes 40 pot-stickers, about 4 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

Wrapper:

3 1/2 ounces cake flour
3 1/2 ounces bread flour
additional flour for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt

Stuffing:

5 ounces ground pork
1 teaspoon soy sauce, plus more for dipping
3 1/2 ounces spinach, leaf part only, chopped
1 portobello mushroom, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons chopped garlic chives
pinch of sugar
4 tablespoons sesame or vegetable oil
Japanese hot mustard paste, or French smooth mustard paste

Preparation:

Wrapper:

Sift the two flours into a large bowl and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Have about 1/2 cup boiling water in a measuring cup. Add the water to
the flour mixture little by little, stirring with a pair of
chopsticks. Shape the mixture into a ball, cover it with a moist cloth
and leave it for 1 hour.

On a floured work surface, knead the dough for 5 minutes or until it
is smooth. Form the dough into a long log and cut the log crosswise
into 40 disks. Dust each cut side of the disk with additional flour to
prevent the surfaces from drying out.

Roll each piece of dough into a 3-inch disk, making the rim thinner
than the center. Dust the wrappers generously with additional flour
and stack them. If you are not using the wrappers right away, wrap the
stack tightly in plastic wrap.

Stuffing:

In a bowl, toss the chopped spinach and mushroom with 1/2 teaspoon
salt. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze the vegetables
firmly to remove excess water.

In another bowl, toss the ground pork with the soy sauce and mix until
the pork is sticky. Add the vegetables, garlic, ginger, sugar and
garlic chives.

To Assemble and Cook:

Place a wrapper in one hand, wet half the rim of the wrapper with
water (when you are using the freshly made wrapper, there is no need
to wet the rim with water), and place about 1/40 of the stuffing in
the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half by placing the dry
edge over the wet edge. While sealing the dumpling, make six to seven
pleats in the top, dry edge, starting at one side and continuing
around the rim.

Over medium heat, heat a skillet or wok large enough to hold 20
dumplings and add 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add 20
dumplings to the skillet, pleated sides up, and cook until their
bottoms are golden and crisp.

In a bowl, combine 1 cup boiling water and 2 tablespoons oil. When the
bottoms of the dumplings are golden, add enough of this water and
sesame oil mixture to the skillet or wok, so the liquid reaches to 1/3
the height of the dumplings. Immediately cover the skillet or wok and
cook the dumplings over low heat for 8 minutes.

Remove the lid of the skillet or wok, turn the heat to high, and cook
away any remaining liquid. While cooking, shake the skillet or wok
gently to avoid the dumplings from sticking to the skillet or wok.
With a spatula, carefully remove the dumplings from the skillet or
wok. Cook the remaining 20 dumplings in the same way, using 2
tablespoons more oil and another cup of boiling water.

Serve the dumplings hot, with soy sauce and mustard paste.