GYOZA

I surfed Terri's blog a couple of days ago and was trilled with her post on Shuijiao a.k.a. Gyoza, Peking Ravioli, Chinese Pierogi, Potstickers. The list is endless.

I have tried making Gyoza several times. While the filling is always delicious, the skin has been less than successful. I succumbed to buying the Gyoza skin from Jaya Jusco which cost quite a bit if Gyoza is the main course for dinner.

I realized that other recipes did not state anything about allowing the dough to rest. That was the 'trick' that was missing from my previous attempts. I've tried it three times since that fateful day I read Terri's post. The whole family has been stuffed on Gyoza for three consecutive days and still loving it.

If you want a fool's proof recipe, go to Terri's blog and you won't regret it!!

I'm giving you the recipe for the dip here:

1/3 cup of Kikoman shoyu
1/3 cup of vinegar
1 tsp of Japanese sesame oil
Lots of julienne cut young ginger.

Christmas Fruit Cake

I know Christmas season is over but I thought I'd share this very easy Christmas fruit cake recipe. I was cleaning out my fridges today and found a left over fruit cake from last Christmas. When cut, the fruit cake was still moist and I could still taste the Brandy. My mum has little to compliment me on my cooking skills but she raves about my fruit cake!! So it must be pretty good!! Hehehe!!

Christmas Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

(A)
375g Sultanas
250g Yellow Raisins
300g Black currants
130g mixed peel
130g glazed red cherries (halved)
130g apricot


250g Anchor Butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Brandy
1/2 cup water

(B)
5 eggs
1 tbsp treacle
2tsp grated orange rind
2tsp grated lemon rind


1 3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup self raising flour
1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate

1. Chop ingredients (A) and mix them up in a thick, heavy bottom pot.
2. Add brown sugar, Brandy and water.
3. Put the pot over medium fire and add the block of 250g Anchor butter. Allow butter to melt and glaze the fruits.
4. Leave aside to cool.

When the cooked fruits has cooled down, mix (B) into it.

5. Fold in the flours and bake for 2 hours and 45 minutes @120 degrees C.
6. When fruit cake is ready and cooled down, wrap in foil paper and leave in a cool place (no refrigeration) and cut after at least one week.


My mum's tea today!!