SPINACH BACON GYOZA

Adapted from Ochi

Ingredients (for 24 gyozas):

1 bunch spinach
1/2 medium onion, minced
4 oz bacon, cut small (I used turkey bacon; and it's still really tasty)
Salt
Pepper
Gyoza or dumpling wrappers
2 slices of cheese
180 ml water (to melt the cheese)
Oil (for pan frying)
Balsamic vinegar (for sauce)

Direction:
1) Boil water and add spinach for 1 minute. Drain, soak in cold water, and remove the excess water by squeezing it (using paper towel)

2) Cut the spinach into small size

3) Heat oil in the pan then add the bacon for 1 minute

4) Then add onion and cook until translucent

5) Add the spinach, salt and pepper.  Stir well and let it cool

6) Place the filling in the center of the wrapper, wet the edges of the wrapper using water, and then wrap well

7) Tear the cheese into smaller parts then add them into the water.  Put it in the microwave for 30 seconds (until they are slightly melted).  Stir well

8) Add oil to the frying pan and then place the gyoza over high heat until the bottom becomes golden brownish.  Then, turn down the heat to medium high and add the cheese mixture.  Cover and cook until the liquid is gone

9) Serve with balsamic vinegar.  YUM!!!!!

TERIYAKI MEATBALLS A LA OCHI

Adapted from Ochi

Ingredients (for 12 meatballs):

1/2 lbs ground pork
1 cup Ma Ling, cubed (I like Ma Ling better than SPAM because it's less salty)
1/2 cup mixed vegetables
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tbs grated ginger (if you don't like ginger, you can skip this.  It will still be yummy)
1 egg white
1 tsp corn starch
Salt
Pepper
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs mirin
1 tbs cooking oil

Direction:

1) Mix well ground pork, garlic, ginger, egg white, corn starch, salt and pepper

2) Then add Ma Ling and mixed vegetables.  Mix well

3) Divide the mixture into 12

4) Round them into balls

5) Heat oil in the pan and cook the meatballs until slightly golden-browned with a lid on

6) Open the lid and turn the meatballs over.  Mix well soy sauce and mirin then add the mixture to the pan.  Simmer on medium low heat until the sauce dries up

7) Serve with rice or as an appetizer.  Enjoy!!!

DASHI TOMATO A LA OCHI

Adapted from Ochi

Ingredients (for 6):

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tbs concentrated dashi
Bonito/Katsuo flakes

Direction:

1) Boil water and submerge the tomatoes for 5 seconds

2) Drain and peel off the skin with hands.  Add concentrated dashi and toss well

3) Put in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour

4) Top with bonito flakes and enjoy the summer heat with this appetizer

FRIED NIAN GAO (年糕) OR DODOL GORENG

Ingredients:

5 tbs all-purpose flour + 5 tbs water
Nian Gao (年糕) or Dodol or Sweet Rice Cake or Basket Cake or Kue Keranjang
2 tbs oil

Direction:

• Slice nian gao not too thinly or thickly
• Mix nian gao in the flour mixture
• Heat the oil in the pan
• Place nian gao on the pan and fry till they are golden brown

FRIED MUSHROOM

Ingredients:

20 white button mushrooms, wiped clean

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

75 ml water

1 white egg, shake

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 tsp pepper (more if you like)

1/2 tsp salt

Sweet chili sauce

Direction:

• Sprinkle mushrooms with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper and set aside
• Mix flour, garlic, pepper, and salt together
• Add water and mix well
• Add egg and mix well
• You should be getting a thick mixture
• Dip mushrooms in the mixture until well covered
• Fried until golden brown
• Serve with sweet chili sauce

KIMCHI PANCAKE A LA MAANGCHI

1 Pancake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup kimchi, chopped really small

1 1/2 tbs kimchi juice

1 tbs onion, chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/8 cup water 

Direction:

• Mix well in a bowl with spoon
• Heat non-stick pan on medium heat and drizzle with 2 tbs oil (I use grape seed oil)
• Spread batter on the pan thinly and evenly with spoon
• Cook for 2 minutes until the bottom gets brown
• Flip it over and cook for another 2 minutes till browned and crispy

KIMCHI PANCAKE

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped kimchi (preferably older kimchi; ~1 month)

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup water

3 tbs kimchi juice

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

Oil

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

3 tbs low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbs sesame seeds

1/2 tbs chili pepper flakes

Direction:

• Mix well flour with a little bit of water each time
• Add kimchi juice, egg, and salt and mix well
• Add finely chopped kimchi and mix well
• Heat pan with oil (the more oil, the crispier; I use less oil)
• Spread batter thinly and evenly on the pan
• Cook 2 minutes on each side till golden brown and cooked
• Press with spatula as you cook them
• Mix vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes together for dipping sauce

OKONOMIYAKI (JAPANESE PANCAKE/PIZZA)

Ingredients:
1 cup Okonomiyaki Flour
3/4 cup water
2 eggs
Cooking Oil
2 cups (or more) shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
2 cups meat (I use shrimp and crab meat)
2 packages of Yaki Soba (you can use wet yaki soba instead of the dry instant one)


Toppings:
Japanese Mayo
Okonomi Sauce
Seaweed Flakes
Katsuo Flakes


Direction:

• Mix flour, egg, and water till everything dissolves
• Pan fry cabbage and carrot till tender and mix with the flour mixture
• Pan fry meat till cooked and mix with the flour mixture
• Follow direction in the package to cook the Yaki Soba
• Stir fry Yaki Soba and add a bit water to avoid this from drying
• When done, add the seasoning that comes with the package
• Lay flat the yaki soba on the pan and add the mixture to cover it
• Flip when it's done on one side
• Remove from heat and cut up when it's done
• Put the seaweed flakes and katsuo flakes on top of okonomiyaki
• Add mayo and okonomi sauce to finish
  

JAMBI DUMPLING (SIOMAY JAMBI) A LA KO CHRIS

Ingredients:
1 cup mushroom, cubed
1 cup dried shrimp or shrimp, diced
1 cup ground pork
1 cup jicama (bengkuang), diced
1 cup bamboo shoot (rebung), cut in staw
1 cup carrot, diced
Corn flour
Peanut sauce
Dumpling wraps
2 tbs oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Fish sauce
Black vinegar


Direction:

• Heat oil and add garlic until yellow
• Add shrimp and stir fry for 1 minute
• Add mushroom and stir fry for another 1 minute
• Add salt to taste
• Add ground pork and stir fry for 3 minutes
• Add bamboo shoot and stir fry for 1-2 minutes
• Add carrot and stir fry for 1-2 minutes
• Add jicama and stir fry for 1-2 minutes
• Add sugar and pepper to taste
• Add fish sauce and black vinegar to taste
• Add flour to thicken the mixture
• Let it cool for 20-30 minutes before wrapping it in individual wrap
• Steam for 15 minutes until the dumpling wraps are no longer hard
• Serve with Peanut Sauce