The Chinese answer to the Southern Meat Pie!

It seems that every culture of the world has a Meat Pie. The English call them Hand Pies and they were common fare for the working man. The Spanish have Empanadas which ‘require meat’. In India, Pakistan, and other countries of that area one will find Samosas. Kreatopitas in Greece, Pierogies in Poland, and Biff paj in Sweden. Here in the south the Fried Meat Pie is a Louisiana specialty and can be found in just about any filling station between Shreveport and New Orleans. (But that is another post for another day). Today we are looking at another country’s answer to meat pie (or dumpling) – Chinese Pot Stickers/Dumplings (aka Gyoza in Japan).

The second Daring Cooks’ challenge is hosted by Jen of use real butter and it is Chinese dumplings which can be steamed, boiled or fried (called pot stickers).

This challenge allowed me to do two things I have not done before – make a non-southern meat pie aka pot sticker, and use my steamer which I have had for years still in the box. Oh, and have fun – again. These dumplings have a pork filling, but if you go HERE – you can see the wonderful variety the Daring Cooks used in this challenge. The only change I made was in the Cabbage – Napa is hard to find here and when I did it was pricey. And since I had just spent extra on the Sesame Seed Oil, just plain green cabbage would have to do. And it did fine.

Before they get steamed...

There are about 10 Chinese Restaurants in and around Podunk, Louisiana, and they all serve Pot Stickers. And none of them have ever been my favorites. The Hunk enjoys them, but I wasn’t sure how much I would like them. Needless to say, home made is sooooooo much better.

After steaming...

They were hard, at first, to form, but after about 50 of them you finally get the hang of it. (Well, maybe!!) They are little purses ready to be dipped in a tasty ’sauce’. I will make them again and try different fillings.

Especially since I know The Hunk enjoyed them.

This was fun. Cannot wait to see what July Brings. Thanks, Jen!!!