I’ve never been the best cook in the house, and if dinner is left to me I usually go for something healthy, quick to make and crowd-pleasing. So many times I’ve tried out a new recipe hoping the kids will give it a go and it’s been rejected, quite often now I’m pressed for time and just make what I know everyone likes to eat.
My husband is a brilliant cook and always used to be trying out new recipes and ingredients at home. A vegetarian since he was 16, he used to make us a lot of meals from his original Cranks cook book and look for new ones in the paper or on cookery programmes. I always used to tease him when he asked me on a Monday, what do you fancy for dinner on Thursday? I mean when I lived alone, I never used to plan ahead and usually ate the first thing I saw when I got in.
Now Rog isn’t really well enough to cook and his appetite comes and goes, but quite often when he’s spending time at home he’s spied a recipe he fancies and asks if I can give it a go. Who am I to argue?! I mean I have objected to buying star anise and liquorice root in Asda when I really just want to buy a pizza, but always agree in the end. This week the whim was to try making vegetable gyoza, a kind of Japanese dumpling that we always used to have as a starter in Wagamama.
Armed with the actual restaurant recipe which we found online and a packet of gyoza wrappers (thin pastry circles really) from the freezer, we were ready to go. We even got the kids involved with the veg chopping in the hope it would make them want to eat them. And it did, kind of! Anyway, it turned out not to be too much effort and the end result was well worth it. The middle part is basically chopped carrots, onion, water chestnuts and celery mixed with sesame oil, and tastes amazing. We served them with a dip made from peanut butter, soy sauce and a bit of warm water, which was a hit with Sam more than anything else. Sweet chilli sauce worked well too. I wasn’t going to go to all this effort without taking some photos, so here they are in all their glory! A similar recipe for gyoza can be found here.
Enjoy!
x Julia
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9 Comments
Mackenzie Glanville
June 16, 2015 at 11:53 pmgood on you for trying something new, I am not the cook in our house either so I know how hard it can be, I’m sure Rog is very proud
Mackenzie Glanville recently posted…Simply beautiful
Amanda
June 17, 2015 at 8:19 amOh my goodness Julia! I can hardly be bothered to make toast, you totally inspire me! I’m going to cook…one day, may even try these, they look great!
Hayley (@hayleyfromhome)
June 17, 2015 at 8:52 amOoh, they sound lovely! It’s great that you could all get involved and make it. I am the cook in our house and I actually like to cook but I get so frustrated when I make something homemade for the kids and they turn their noses up…do they not know I’m trying to make them healthy food?! 🙂 xx
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Megan - truly madly kids
June 17, 2015 at 11:48 amI love Wagamamas! We made mini chicken ramen at home – delicious! These look fab! X
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Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk)
June 19, 2015 at 1:27 pmAww I love these! So expensive when you eat out! Its been awhile since I last tried new dish! I will look for the gyoza wrapper in asian store and if I find one I will try this! Bookmarked this page already. #sharewithme
Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk) recently posted…5 Years
Jenny
June 21, 2015 at 3:46 pmOh these look and sound absolutely delicious. I will have to try them this summer while I am in america. Thanks for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme
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sarah christie
January 28, 2016 at 10:24 amJulia these look so tasty, I might have to try this out myself x
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Angela at Daysinbed
March 3, 2016 at 9:41 amThis looks tatsty Julia! Yum Yum! angela from Daysinbed
Samantha Rickelton
March 3, 2016 at 9:46 amI love the idea of a Wagamama style dinner at home and these don’t seem too difficult to make x
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