Gyoza

Ingredients (50 pieces)

For the filling, mix together:
• 1 lb ground pork,
• 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage,
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots,
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch,
• 2 teaspoons salt or 1 tablespoon soy sauce,
• a pinch of ground pepper.
• Egg wash: Gently beat 1 or 2 eggs.

Cooking Instructions

1. Folding the dumplings
2. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and keep some extra flour within hand's reach.
3. With a pastry brush or small pastry spatula, spread egg wash around the edge of the wrapper.Place a small spoonful of filling in the middle. (Be careful not to put too much; it'll leek out during the folding process.)
4. Pinch the edge of the wrapper and make a fold like you see in Step 2. (If you're a beginner at folding, place the wrapper on a flat surface while you work. Otherwise, keep it in your hand.)
5. Make 2 more identical folds in the same direction, until you end up with 3 folds, as shown in Step 3.
6. Bring the folded side together with the no-folds side, and press to seal.
7. Line finished dumplings on a plate. Keep extra wrappers covered, preferably with a moist towel, to prevent them from drying out.
8. When you're ready to pan-fry, coat bottom of a large skillet with about 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Line all the dumplings in the pan, smooth side down, BEFORE placing skillet over the heat (this allows them to fry evenly.) Once the dumplings are over the heat, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the first side starts to burn golden brown. Add about 1/2 inch of water (1.5 cm), cover with a lid, and let cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Once the water cooks off, flip the dumplings over and cook for another 3 minutes. (Bonus authenticity points for using chopsticks to flip instead of a spatula.)
10. Plate them nicely or just pile 'em up family-style. Just make sure to wait a few minutes before digging in or you risk burning your mouth.