*** A big thank you to Fiona Mak of Smak wines for inspiring me to make this recipe! ****

Shiso or perilla leaf is part of the mint family. It has an complex aromatic flavor that is more savory in nature. In Eastern medicine it is used to move qi through the lungs, break up phlegm, and support the spleen and stomach. It reduce nausea, helps ease morning sickness, and treats both food poisoning and kills parasites. It is also delicious.

If you’ve ever had the joy of eating gyoza or pot stickers, you can make a delicious homemade version with a few simple herbs and ground chicken. This delicious treat can help break up phelgm in the lungs and in the digestive system which typically leads to digestive discomfort, all while enjoying the joys of pot stickers.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups thinly sliced fresh shiso leaves
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
• optional: 1 tsp minced green onion or chive
• 1 package of premade potsticker wrappers
• one small bowl water or well beaten egg

For the dipping sauce:

• 2 T tamari or soy sauce
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp minced chives
• 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp siracha or red chili pepper flakes

Instructions:

Heat 1 T of olive oil in a skillet or wok on medium until shimmering. Add the ginger and garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the ground chicken or turkey and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as you go. (about 5-8 minutes).

Once the meat has been browned, place in a bowl and allow it to cool enough to be handled. Add the thinly sliced shiso and mix thoroughly with your hands.

In a small bowl, beat the egg.

Prepare your working surface: I usually have the bowl of dumpling filling to the left of a large cutting board, the bowl of egg or water in the center and the dumpling wrappers to the right. I have a platter to the farthest right for finished dumplings, and work on a cutting board in front of me.

Place a dumpling wrapper on your work surface. Place 1 T of filling in the center of the wrapper. Dip your index and middle finger in the egg or water, and rub it on the edge of 1/2 of the dumpling wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and press the edges together. The egg or water will form a seal. You can leave your dumpling like this, or you can gently take 1cm sections of the edges and fold them over to create a crimp pattern all the way around. Just fold, crimp, and squeeze to get the shape to hold. Set aside.

Once you have made all of your dumplings, you can either steam or pan fry them. For this recipe, I prefer to pan fry them. Place 1-2 T of olive oil in a skillet on medium high. Once the oil is hot, arrange the dumplings on their to fill the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip all the dumplings onto the other side, and cook another 2-3 minutes, checking to make sure they are crispy, but not burnt. Set aside and do a second or third batch as needed. Eat immediately with the dipping sauce.

For the dipping sauce, simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Serve in small bowls for each diner to dip their own gyoza in.

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