The Mouthful
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Demystifying homemade dumplings (framework)

Demystifying homemade dumplings (framework)

Roasted pepper muhammara, juice cleanses, & dealing with raw meat

Keith McBrayer & Ethan Chlebowski
May 07, 2023

Pan Fried Gyoza & Dipping Sauce

Happy Sunday.

In This Week’s Edition:

Try Something New 🤯 — Homemade Gyoza (Framework)

Throwback Time 🍳 — Roasted Red Pepper Condiment

The Leftover Shelf 🥡 — 5-Min Muhammara Dip

Extra Helpings 🤤 — Juice Cleanses, Raw Meat, & More

Shopping List ✅ — Ingredients sorted into categories for easy shopping!

Try Something New 🤯

Expand your home cooking horizons.

Homemade Gyoza (Framework)

Making dumplings at home is easier than you might think. Follow the gyoza filling equation below, buy some dumpling wrappers (check the frozen section or your nearest international grocery store), and you’re ready to go.

Gyoza Components

1-2 lbs (450-900 g) of gyoza filling (using the equation above)*
1 pack (40-60 sheets) of Gyoza or dumpling wrappers
Neutral oil & water, for cooking

Sauce Components

3 part soy sauce
1 part rice vinegar
.5 part sesame or chili oil (optional)
Minced scallion (optional)

*If you want to follow an exact recipe, here’s an example.

Instructions

Make filling & sauce: Knead all filling ingredients until well combined and sticky. Mix sauce ingredients in a container and set aside.
Fill the gyoza: Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of the wrapper. Dampen the edge of the wrapper with water. Pinch the wrapper together in one spot, at the center. Make 3-4 pleats on the right and left sides of the centerfold, pressing each pleat firmly against the back of the wrapper. Push out any air and sealing as you go.
Freeze extras: Any gyoza that you won’t cook right away can be frozen by freezing on a baking sheet for 30-60 minutes and then transferring to a freezer-safe container or gallon bag.
Cook & serve:The gyoza can be cooked right away or straight from the freezer w/o defrosting. Add a small drizzle of oil to a medium-hot pan. Sear a batch of gyoza until browned on the flat bottom side, then add a few spoonfuls of water. Cover and steam for 4 minutes (6 mins if previously frozen) until cooked through. Serve warm with sauce.

Pro Tip - If you need more information and additional folding options, check out the full video here.

Throwback Time 🍳

Roasting and marinating peppers is a case study in flavor multiplication, literally:

During roasting, caramelization activates the sweetness of natural sugars, while the Maillard reaction (browning) produces complex savory flavors from carbohydrates and amino acids.

The marinade then compounds the flavor. The oil transports and enhances the pepper flavors to your tongue's taste receptors, which are already salivating thanks to the vinegar.

Use any kind of roasted pepper mixed with oil, vinegar, and spices (or follow this recipe here) to make this versatile condiment. Upgrade sandwiches, burgers, salad/rice bowls, or blend into a pasta sauce.

Or, make an extra batch for this week’s Leftover Shelf recipe:

The Leftover Shelf 🥡

Leftovers are back in style…if you know how to use them.

This week’s move:

Leftover Roasted Pepper Condiment → 5 Minute Muhammara

This Mediterranean dip is usually made with roasted red peppers. Blend the condiment with a few pantry staples and you’ve made yourself a filling side or snack.

Muhammara Components

2 parts roasted red pepper condiment
1 part texture thickeners: equal parts toasted walnuts & breadcrumbs*
0.5 part olive oil
Optional: 0.5 part flavor adjusters: pomegranate molasses or honey, garlic cloves, tahini, spices*
Salt to taste

Serving Options

Chips or crackers
Pita bread (or any other bread)
Raw vegetables
On a sandwich or as the base of a pita ‘pizza’

*Walnuts & pomegranate molasses are the traditional flavor adjusters. Use what you have or prefer instead.

To assemble:

Blend all Muhammara Components until smooth. Adjust with more salt and flavor adjusters to preference. The texture should resemble hummus — thicken it up with more nuts/breadcrumbs, or thin it out with water.

Extra Helpings 🤤

🚀 Viral Eats

Food trends explained.

Q: What’s up with juice cleanses?

A: Juice cleansing is a diet where a person almost exclusively drinks fruit and vegetable juices a period of time that can range from a day to over a week. In recent years, social media has increased its popularity. Advocates claim that juice cleanses can help remove toxins from the body and reset digestion.

There’s insufficient evidence to support the long-term benefit of juice-based diets, so do your homework. If you’re looking to add more whole ingredients and superfoods to your diet, our recommendation is to focus on cooking a diverse set of meals.

For example: Just by cooking a few Cajun and South Asian dishes you’ll naturally rotate in many of the popular ingredients found in cleanses (turmeric, ginger, lemon, kale, collard greens, celery, etc).

🧠 Reader Q&A

Q: I get really overwhelmed meat section at the supermarket. How do you know what to buy? Any advice? - Bobby P.

A: There are two ways to approach shopping for meat. You can either:

1) Think about what type of dishes you want to cook this week and buy appropriate cuts of meat.

2) Find a good price on a cut, and then let that determine the meal you’ll cook.

You can let the deals/prices decide for you! Grocery meat section prices and availability vary drastically week by week depending on supply chains — take advantage of sales or rare cuts to freeze! Other times, you simply won’t see what you are looking for, and you’ll just have to make do with another type or cut of meat.

For example, to have options for meals throughout the week, you might grab some ground meat, a pack of chicken thighs or breasts, and then beef or pork depending on prices/availability.

Hope that helps you get started!