Pork Gyoza

This is one of my favorite appetizer recipes – I can never make enough of these, they disappear instantly! 

A note on ground pork - all ground pork is not the same! In particular, there is a brand called Smithfield which I would avoid at all costs. It has a really, really bad flavor. Try to get the ground pork from your grocery store's meat counter if they have it, otherwise, any brand but Smithfield should work.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 lb ground pork
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
4 scallions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp Thai Garlic Chili sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
30 won ton wrappers
1 to 2 cups peanut or vegetable oil

1 egg yolk, beaten (for assembling)

Dipping Sauce:

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon red rice vinegar
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
2 teaspoons chopped green onion

Directions:

Brown pork in a skillet.  While meat is browning, chop vegetables.  Add to pan.  Next, add beaten egg, Thai Chili Sauce and ginger.  Continue cooking until vegetables are soft.  Taste and season, then allow to cool.

To assemble, place 1 tablespoon filling in middle of each won ton wrapper, about 1/2 inch from edge and shape horizontally.  Fold left and right corners of wedge over filling, overlapping slightly.  There are usually directions on how to do this on the back of the won ton package.

Dab top corner with egg yolk, then tightly roll wedge away from you, making sure ends stay tucked inside. Place roll, seam side down, on wax paper. Continue until all wrappers are used.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Fry rolls in small batches until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

For dipping sauce, simply chop onion and ginger, then mix into oil and vinegar.  Serve room temp or cold with finished gyoza.

Tips:  You can add additional Thai Chili Sauce to make this more spicy, substitute baby shrimp for the pork, or omit meat/seafood altogether for a vegetarian version.  Enjoy!