How to make Gyoza (potsticker)

Today I will show you how to make Gyoza. I use Chinese chives but if you can't find any, you don't need to use it. Gyoza skin can find at most grocery store. But try to get the round ones.

What you need:
Cabbage/about 6 oz (170g)
Chinese chive/3 oz (90g)
ground pork/1 pound (450g)
green onion/2 stalk
garlic/ 1/2 teaspoon
ginger/1/2 inch piece
sesame oil/2 teaspoons
pepper/ 1/8 teaspoon
soy sauce/ 2 teaspoons
sake/1/2 tablespoon
Gyoza skin/1 package

oil for cooking Gyoza
water for cooking/70 ml per 10 Gyoza

dipping sauce/Soy sauce and vinegar to taste


Directions:

1. Chop cabbage, garlic and ginger and slice green onion and Chinese chives.

2. In a large bowl mix together ground pork, chopped cabbage, garlic and ginger and sliced green onions and Chinese chives.

3. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, pepper and sake.

4. Mix thoroughly.

5. Hold Gyoza skin with left hand.

6. Place 1 tablespoon of mixture on skin.

7. Dip finger in water and wet outside edge of Gyoza skin.

8. Begin folding Gyoza skin in half while pinching one side to create a fold.

* See pictures. There should be 3-4 creases.

9. Make as many as you want before cooking. (If you make a lot you can freeze them to cook later.)

Cooking Gyoza 10 at time:

1. Prepare fry pan by placing on medium heat when fry pan gets hot add oil.

2. Place 10 Gyoza in pan and cook until bottoms are golden brown.

3. Add 70ml water and cover pan.

4. Reduce heat to medium low for 3min to steam Gyoza.

5. When most of the water has evaporated take off the lid and cook until all the water is gone and remove Gyoza from pan.

6. Serve on plate with a side of dipping sauce.


* Difference between Chinese and Japanese Gyoza is that Chinese Gyoza is boiled or steamed. Japanese fry their Gyoza before steaming.

How to make Spicy Teriyaki Chicken

Today I will show you How to make Spicy Teriyaki Chicken. You will need "Sriracha"(Thai Chili Sauce) or "Doubanjang"( Chinese Chili Bean Sauce)
These sauces can be used for saute fried dishes or for Ramen.

Here is the links of those sauce:
sriracha
Doubanjang

What you need:

chicken breast/2
mushroom/7 oz ( or more if you like them)
sriracha or Doubanjang/2 teaspoons
soy sauce/3 tablespoons
sake (rice wine)/2tablespoons
marmalade/2tablespoons
salt & pepper

Direction:

1. Slice the mushrooms (I used Shiitake mushrooms & Oyster mushrooms.) and saute in oil.
Put it on plate. (Don't wash the pan. You will use it for the chicken.)

2. Cut the fat off of the chicken and cut in half. add a few shakes of salt and pepper.

3. Cook the chicken in medium high heat until it is no longer pink. Add the mushrooms you sauteed.

4. In a small bowl mix sriracha, soy sauce, sake and marmalade. Pour sauce over cooked chicken.

5. Serve on plate with rice and eat!

Recycled Lunch Bag

Nowadays recycling is more important then ever. So instead of buying new lunch bags for my husband and children, I decided to make these cool ones.

Here is the link to the instructions I used. But If you aren't using sticky Velcoro, I prefer to sew the Velcro before assembling.

How to make Mochi cake

Mochi cake is not traditional Japanese desert. It was made by Japanese immigrant in Hawaii.
Mochiko can be found most grocery stores in the Asian section.

*For this recipe, I had Mochiko from Japan.
What you need:
*Mochiko/ 9 oz (250g)
*Large eggs/ 2
*Soymilk/ 250cc (You can also use regular milk)
*Oil/ 1/3cup
*Baking powder/ 1/2 teaspoon
*Brown sugar/ 2 oz (60g)
Direction:
1. Preheat oven 360F.
2. In medium bowl eggs,milk,oil and sugar mix together.

3. Add Mochiko, baking powder and mix well.
4. Place parchment paper in loaf pan and pour contents of medium bowl in loaf pan.
* I added raisins.

5. Bake for about one hour.
6. When it cool down, cut and serve.
7. Eat!!

How to make Miso soup

Miso soup is a popular soup in Japan. Japanese usually eat this during breakfast and dinner.
Some things you can put in Miso soup are Tofu, Wakame(seaweed), Daikon and many other things. Now I will show you how to make traditional Miso soup.

what you need:(4 servings)

*Water/4 cups
*Miso/ 3 tablespoons
*Tofu/ half a package
*Dried wakame/ 1 tablespoon
*Green onion/ 1 stalk
*Dashi powder/1 teaspoon
Dashi powder is Bonito fish soup stock. It used as a base for almost all Japanese soups.


Direction:

1. Slice green onion thinly and prepare Dried 1 tablespoon Wakame by placing it in a small bowl of cold water. After the Wakame becomes soft drain this water.
2.Boil 4 cups of water on high heat.
3. While waiting for water to boil cut Tofu into small squares.
4. When water boils turn heat down to midium low . Add Dashi powder and Miso and mix until Miso is no longer solid.


5. Add Tofu and Wakame and cook about 7-10min.
6.Turn off the heat and add green onion and serve immediately.
7. Eat!!


* Miso soup trivia: A way to propose to a woman is to ask her, if she will make Miso soup for you every morning!

How to cook Japanese rice

We usually use a " short grain" Japanese rice. When cooked it has a sticky texture.
You can find it at Costco or some local grocery stores. Two brand names you may find are "Botan" and "Nishiki".

Now, I will show you how to cook the rice in a pot.
* I use "Le Creuset" pots but you can use any pot that has a lid.
What you need:
*pot with lid.
*short grain rice/360cc
*water/450ml
Directions:
1.Wash and Drain rice repeatedly.
(this rice has a fine powder that you want to try to remove. You will know you are done when the water is almost clear.)

2.Place rice in pot and add 450ml of water. Put on the lid.
3. Cook rice on stove top at higher than medium temperature until water boils.
It's OK to remove the lid for a second to check.

4.Once the water is boiling, turn the temperature down to low and let it simmer for about 15min.

5. Remove from stove and let it cool for about 10min.

6.Remove lid and gently mix the rice. You don't want to turn it into a paste.

7. Eat!!

Your results may vary depending on the Brand of rice you use.

This traditional dish is used for a side during Breakfast, Lunch and dinner.

Try this with Tempura.

(Just please don't mix with milk and sugar.)