Vegan Mushroom Gyoza & Chilli Dipping Sauce

Makes 30

Serves 6 as a starter

Prep time: 50 minutes, plus cooling

Cook time: 30 minutes

The dish is a real crowd-pleaser due to its savoury and satisfying flavour, as well as its versatility. Gyoza can be enjoyed as a snack, appetizer, or main course, making it a great addition to any meal. The dumplings are typically filled with a mixture of ground meat and vegetables, such as pork and cabbage, but here I've replaced the meat with a mix of mushrooms. They are then pan-fried until the bottom is crispy and the filling is cooked through. Folding the dumplings takes a little practice but once you've got the hang of it you will be surprised how quickly you race through the preparation. You can find gyoza wrappers in asian supermarkets but I usually buy mine from Amazon.

Ingredients:

Gyoza filling-

1 large or 2 small banana shallot

1/2 Chinese cabbage, washed and finely chopped

6-8 spring onions, finely chopped

300g chestnut mushrooms finely chopped

120g Shitake mushrooms, finely chopped

2 tbsp grated ginger

4-6 cloves of garlic

3 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos

Juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar

Small bunch each of coriander and chives, finely chopped

30-40 Gyoza wrappers

3 tbsp rapeseed oil

Dipping sauce-

8 tbsp soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos (if using coconut aminos, add a little salt)

3 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp Sriracha

Small bunch of chives

1 red chilli

Method:

1. To make the filling, finely chop the shallots, cabbage and both mushrooms. You could chop them by pulsing them ina food processor but you run the risk of losing all the texture so I would highly recommend chopping.

2. Add the grated ginger and garlic and mix everything well.

3. Put a wok on high heat, add the sesame oil and when fragrant add all the vegetables. Stir and toss the veg regularly to ensure it doesn’t catch and burn. Cook for around 10 minutes until all the mushrooms' water has evaporated and the mix has reduced in volume by around 50%.

4. Add the soy sauce, lime juice and rice vinegar to the mix and continue cooking for 3 minutes more. Tip the mix into a large mixing bowl and let cool completely. Fold in the chopped herbs, taste and adjust the seasoning to taste.

5. To make the dumplings, hold the gyoza wrapper in one hand and spoon around 2 tsp of the vegetable mix into the centre. Using a finger, lightly wet the edge and bring the bottom to almost meet the top into a half moon shape. Gently fold and crimp the closest edge and press against the other firmly. Place them on a parchment lined baking tray and repeat until you have used all the mix.

6. To make the dipping sauce, finely chop the chives and chilli and combine in a bowl with the remaining ingredients.

7. In a wide pan, with a lid, heat a tablespoon of rapeseed oil over a medium heat. Working in batches, place the gyoza seam side up and fry for 3 minutes without moving until crisp and golden on the bottom. Add 2 cms of freshly boiled water to the pan and put the lid on, allowing the dumplings to cook for another 3-4 minutes before removing and setting on a plate.

8. Pour out the water and heat another tablespoon of oil in the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining gyoza. Serve along side the dipping sauce.