I love Germany. I love German film. I loved The Lives of Others and was glad to see it win best foreign picture. Ulrich Muhe's portrayal of an east German Stasi officer is no less than brilliant. Forrest Whittaker seemed a little unstable, but I'm still happy for him (I love the rags to riches stories). Martin Scorsese... looks like a muppet, and it's curious that his cronies Spielberg, Coppola, and Lucas were the ones chosen to present the best director award. Did they know who was going to win? Paranoid conspiracy? I think the whole thing is rigged. In the end, who cares. The greatest films never make it close to the Academy Awards.What were we eating while we watched the oscars, you ask? Gyoza, of course. Simple pan-seared gyoza...The prepackaged wonton wrappers at your local grocery are cheap and convenient, or you can make the dough yourself if want. This meal is a great introduction to Asian cooking. It's fresh, healthy, and incredibly tasty.
Gyoza
1 package wonton wrappers
2 large carrots
1/4 head cabbage
Mushrooms
Scallions
Shallots
Whatever you want
Dice vegetables finely. This will make stuffing the dumplings easier. Saute the mixture lightly and sprinkle w/ salt. Do not over cook- the veggies should still have some crunch.
To form a dumping:
Carefully separate one wonton shell, and put a teaspoon of mixture in the center. Wet your finger, and run it around the edges of the pastry. Fold one edge over into a triangle (wonton wrappers are squares), and press edges together firmly. Take the two ends and press together. It should look something like a tortellini.
Pan sear the dumplings with some light cooking oil (like grapeseed oil) until they're golden brown. Serve them up hot with a dipping sauce of 1 part rice vinegar and 5 parts soy sauce. Kompai!-G
