My son could eat dumplings everyday. No lie; he absolutely loves them. If I allowed him to eat just dumplings as a meal, he would. This version of dumplings is very similar to my mom’s recipe, just with a few tweaks. Envision a little Thai woman trying to explain how to make them, “just add a little of this” or “just a little bit of that, to taste”. That can be stressful! I took the guesswork out of it for you…that’s a wrap!

Filling:
6-7 dried shiitake mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c cilantro, rough chopped
1-1/2 tbsp ginger, peeled and finely minced
1 lb ground pork
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper (black pepper works great, too)
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 egg

Additional ingredients:
1 pkg gyoza or wonton wrappers
Canola oil for pan frying

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 c Soy sauce
1/8 c Chili Garlic paste
1 tsp rice vinegar
3/4 tsp honey

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with warm water for about an hour or until soft. Once softened remove and discard the stems. Mince the mushrooms and place them into a medium sized bowl along with the garlic, cilantro, ginger, pork, salt, pepper, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Mix well. Don’t be afraid to use your hands. It may seem messy, but this is actually the best way to mix the ingredients together. Once mixed, add in the egg and incorporate it throughout. Set aside.

Now it’s time to set up your prep station. I suggest using a large sealable container for the wrapped dumplings, setting a small bowl of water for sealing the wrappers, a plate for the wrapping station, and your bowl of dumpling filling, all within reach. I usually set up my station at the dinner table so I can sit while wrapping my dumplings.

To wrap:
Place 1 tsp of filling in the center of the wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water. If using a gyoza wrapper, fold over to make a half moon shape; with a wonton wrapper, fold from corner to corner creating a triangle. Press firmly to seal each dumpling closed. Set the dumpling in your container and repeat. Refrigerate the dumplings until you are ready to pan fry them.

To fry:
Bring a large sauce pan of water to a boil. Add 5 dumplings to the boiling water. They will float to the surface when cooked through. While the first batch is boiling, heat about 1-2 tsp of oil in a 12” skillet, preferably one with a lid, over medium-low heat. Once the dumplings have floated to the surface, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and carefully move to the hot skillet. Caution: because there is hot oil, there will be tons of splatter! This is where the lid comes in handy. Place the lid over the dumplings, but do not completely cover them. Leave dumplings on each side for about 2-3 minutes, or until they are light brown (not the entire dumpling will have color). Move to your serving plate and repeat until all the dumplings are cooked.

Dipping Sauce:
In a bowl combine all the ingredients well, until honey is completely incorporated.

Enjoy! Happy eating, y’all!