I Can Make Gyoza!

I don't cook.

Well I cook a little but that meant nothing when I came to Japan. You see...the Japanese don't have ovens. So all the things I knew how to cook weren't possible here. I can't mix up a huge lasagna or bake a birthday cake and that's kinda soul destroying. Also, I can't distinguish between ingredients in the store as either 1) I can't read Japanese or 2) I've never seen that vegetable before to know what it is.

Anyway bechamel sauce is magical and I miss it dearly.

Last weekend a co-worker, a native to Japan and its yummy cooking ways taught me how to make gyoza.  Originating in China, gyoza has been adopted by Japan, Korea and a multitude of other countries.  And it is gooooood.

This Thursday I had a go on my own.  Thankfully the previously mentioned co-worker helped me buy the right ingredients of which I can tell apart from the colour of their labels.

This mixture is a little pork (not much at all), some cabbage and some Chinese leek. Add in tablespoons of sesame oil, cooking sake, oyster sauce and soy sauce and you are good to go.  I mix with my hands because I roll that way :)

You buy these little circular doughy pieces, spoon some of the pork mixture into the middle and coat 180 degrees of the edge with some oil.  Smoosh the sides together and then periodically fold the edges back on themselves for a cool pleated effect.  This is my favourite part of making them due to the fact that I was able to do it relatively well from the beginning.  Success = joy.

And this is the final product!

This is the third attempt at cooking them as I couldn't get the timing or the water levels right.  You basically fry one side for a bit and then add some water to cook them through.  You don't turn them over so you are cooking them a little blind.

Mix equal amounts of white vinegar and soy sauce together and dip away.

I love gyoza.

I can cook gyoza.

Wow.