Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Passport to Japan: Edamame, Gyoza, Rice and Teriyaki Beef

Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients
Gyoza, Rice and Edamame:

* 3/4 cup short grain rice
* 2 cups edamame, soybeans, from the frozen vegetables section of
large markets
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Napa cabbage plus 1 large whole leaf
* Coarse salt
* 1/4 pound ground pork
* 1/4 cup 300 count baby shrimp, a handful, chopped
* 1 tablespoons sake, or a splash mirin may be substituted
* 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
* 1 scallion, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon tamari dark aged soy, available on Asian food aisle of market
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* A few grinds black pepper
* 12 gyoza or won ton wrappers

Teriyaki Steak:

* 2 fillet of beef steaks, 1 inch thick, 6 ounces each
* 1 teaspoons steak seasoning or salt and pepper
* 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce or 1/4 cup tamari dark soy mixed with 2
tablespoons dry sherry
* 1 tablespoon light oil: wok oil, peanut oil or vegetable oil
* 4 scallions chopped on an angle into 1 inch pieces

Dipping Sauce for Gyoza:

* 3 tablespoons tamari dark soy, eyeball it
* 1 teaspoon hot sweet mustard, from Asian foods aisle or other
prepared mustard
* 2 teaspoons rice wine or white vinegar


Directions

Place 2 pots of water on to boil: 1 pasta pot with a few inches of
water in it, 1 medium sauce pan with 1 1/2 cups of water in it. Cover
both pots and bring all the water to a boil.

When the smaller pot of water comes to a boil, stir in rice and return
water to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Place a colander over the pot
and add the edamame to it. Place the pot cover over the edamame
nesting it in the colander. Steam the edamame 5 minutes, then remove
them to 2 small bowls, salt them and cover bowls with plastic or foil
to keep warm. Set colander aside and return pot lid to rice, stirring
rice before replacing the lid.

While the edamame are steaming, before removing them to the bowls, you
have a pocket of time to work with. Add 1/2 cup, a couple of handfuls
of Napa cabbage to the second pot of water. Blanch the shredded
cabbage 1 minute and remove with a spider or tongs to paper towels to
drain and cool. Chop shredded blanched cabbage. Combine meat, chopped
salad shrimp, sake, ginger, 1 scallion, 1 tablespoon tamari, sesame
oil, black pepper and cooled, chopped cabbage in a bowl. Place 2
teaspoons of filling on each won ton wrapper. Wet your fingertips to
help seal won ton wrappers. The gyoza should look like small half
moons.

Place 1 or 2 Napa cabbage leaves into the bottom of the colander. The
leaves will prevent your dumplings from sticking to the surface of
colander. Arrange dumplings on Napa leaf in colander and steam over
second larger pot of simmering water. Place large pot lid over the
colander to trap the steam. Dumplings need to steam 10 to 12 minutes.
While you are working on this, go back and forth with the edamame as
necessary per above directions.

While dumplings work, slice the fillet steaks thinly across the grain.
Toss with seasoning and teriyaki or tamari and sherry. Heat a nonstick
skillet over high heat. Add oil and the meat and stir-fry. When meat
browns at edges, add scallions and cook 2 minutes more, stirring
frequently.

Use remaining raw shredded Napa cabbage as a bed to serve your
dumplings on. Plate all of your items on little dishes and in small
bowls.

Mix dipping sauce of tamari, mustard and vinegar for the gyoza and set
out alongside dumplings.

Warm or cold sake, leftover from cooking, is the perfect beverage and
chilled navel oranges or tangerines make a refreshing end to this
meal.

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