Gyoza with Simple Soy Mustard Sauce

When I was a little, little girl, we lived in Okinawa, Japan on an Army base.? My parents knew a wide variety of people from all different kinds of cultural backgrounds.? Juan and Rosie were Puerto Rican, and Rosie taught my mom how to make this dish.? She called it Gyoza.? LOL all my growing up years, I thought this was a Puerto Rican dish.? Nope.? It’s originally Chinese, but gained huge popularity in Japan.

?I’ve come to find out that gyoza are also steamed and fried dumplings, and that what I’ve known as gyoza my whole life are also known as fried wontons.

Whatever they might be called, they can also be called delicious.? I love them, and so does Toadie.? We enjoy a plate of these on occasion while watching movies on a Friday night.

They’re simple, delicious and easy to make.

Gyoza

Ingredients

1 package wonton wrappers

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 small onion or shallot, finely minced

1 small green pepper, finely minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 Cup water in a small dish for sealing the wonton wrappers

Soy Mustard Sauce:

1/2 Cup prepared mustard, either cheap yellow or a savory ground

1/4 Cup soy sauce

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine prepared mustard and soy sauce.? Mix well to combine and set aside for flavors to mingle.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onions, green peppers and salt and pepper.?

Place 1 teaspoon of the ground beef mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper.??? Wet your finger in the small bowl of water and run it down two edges of the wonton wrapper to form a “V”.? Fold the opposite ends over the wet sides and pinch to seal, forming triangles as shown below.

Flatten each teaspoon of beef a little bit before or after you have it in the wonton wrapper.? This will ensure that the beef is done when you pull them out of the deep fryer.

Heat a deep fryer, or pan of cooking oil to 375-400 degrees.? Place gyoza in the hot oil, a few at a time.? Cook until browned on each side, about 2 minutes per side, as shown below, or until desired doneness.

Drain well on paper towel lined plate or pan, and serve with Simple Soy Mustard Sauce.? Serves 6.

Enjoy!

S.