Ridiculously Easy Gyoza Dumplings

These are sometimes called "Pot stickers"

The really hard part was in the Korean market, trying to decipher what was inside the dumplings in the bag, since not one single one of them had any English translation of the contents. I thought, "Screw it", and went ahead and took home some of the mystery dumplings. After all, how bad off could I be for six bucks or less?

They are pretty easy to cook. Here is my method, which does not include boiling. Into a hot preferably non stick skillet, pour around a tablespoon of canola or peanut oil, and place as many of the frozen dumplings as you want, spreading them around. Cook medium fire until they brown a bit on several sides. Now, carefully pour off the oil, and add a few TB of water, covering the pan so the steam does not escape. Careful that the pan is not too hot or you will spatter oil. Let the dumplings cook until they are done.

Make the sauce: Into the pan with a fresh glug of oil, add three quarter-sized slices of crushed fresh ginger, two or three smashed up cloves of garlic, a teaspoon of sugar, some chili flakes or hot sauce (I prefer "Franks"), a glug of Asian seasoned rice vinegar, a few grinds of black pepper, and one or two teaspoons of soy sauce, depending on your taste and the concentration of the sauce. Toss the dumplings in the sauce as it reduces, and add a few sliced scallions leaving them to cook in the pan for around half a minute.

Slide them, with the sauce onto a serving dish.

Sometimes when fresh basil is handy, I'll tear up a few leaves and drop them into the pan just before plating. I learned is there is no mystery to doing these inexpensive dough purses, and each time I cook a batch, I can vary the seasonings to my own taste. Keep experimenting, and keep cooking.