by Nanette Geller

With all that thunder and lightening Monday night, we wanted something warm and comforting for dinner. At KCC Saturday I bought a bunch of beautiful choi sum from Otsuji Farm and Tokyo negi (Japanese long onions) from Milner Farm. Perfect for gyoza soup! We didn’t take a picture, but I do have a photo taken a couple of weeks ago with pretty much the same ingredients. Click on the photo if you want to enlarge it.

This is a more elegant version of a very quick dinner I wrote about in March. Even with the embellishments, it’s still fast, still easy, and definitely comforting.

For the broth: a quart of chicken stock simmered with some shaoxing (Chinese rice wine), a sliced carrot, a couple of peeled garlic cloves, lots of julienned ginger, and a couple of star anise. Simmer until the carrot is tender. Instead of salt I added about a teaspoon of nam pla (Thai fish sauce).

Add frozen gyoza (potstickers) and boil until almost cooked, about 5 minutes.

Add Tokyo negi cut into 1-2 inch pieces and choi sum (or other greens) cut into bite size. Boil until the veggies are just tender.

Serve in large bowls topped with cilantro and finely sliced green onion. If the gyoza come with dipping sauce serve it in small individual dishes. On the table: calamansi, more cilantro and green onion to be added to taste. It’s not in this photo but on Monday we drank shaoxing, which certainly upped the comfort level.

By the way, I know that I really should call those dumplings “potstickers” but after 16 years in Japan I’m imprinted with “gyoza.” Whatever they’re called, they’ve earned a place in my freezer. In addition to using them for a quick Chinese-style soup, I sometimes serve them like ravioli. You’d be surprised how well they take to pesto!

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 5/04/2011 09:45:00 PM