Who Do You Cook For?

(Meet my dining family.)

Ask yourself that. Some people, living alone, cook for themselves. Mothers cook for their kids. Some fathers cook for their families, like my dad. Wives cook for their husbands. Some of my female friends cook for their boyfriends. I don't know any of my male friends who cook for their girlfriends. Most of them just buy ready-to-eat food. Some would care so much to prepare instant pancit canton. 


But really, who would want to slave over the hot stove? 


My parents are excellent cooks in terms of "flavor" or in Cebuano speak, "timpla" and I was trained young. I remember way before I was a teen, when I hang around the kitchen to watch my mother or father cook, they always give me the chance to taste those dishes and ask me what I think of it. As time went on, I can already tell what is missing. More salt, more condiments or a little bit of sugar. My taste was honed long before I get the permission to hold a kitchen knife.


I swear, I still am not a pro when it comes to kitchen knives. I cut myself twice in my previous work and countless times in my lifetime. Like life, cooking is a never-ending learning process and you will never be a pro unless you go through the fundamentals and never stop at the fundamentals.


Who do you cook for?
I cook for my family. I cook for my friends. I cook for myself - for my own personal delight. 
I cook for you!
This fact excites me. It completes me. And it gives me food coma every time. :)




EEZY BREEZY GYOZA


Ingredients:


1/8 Kilo Ground pork
1/2 cup Cabbage, chopped fine 
2 tbsp Spring Onions, chopped
1 tbsp Sesame Oil (optional)
1 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Soysauce
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ginger, fresh and grated
20 Gyoza or Round Dumpling Wrappers
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
some Water for steaming

How to do it yourself:

1. Mix ground pork, cabbage, spring onions, sugar, soy sauce, salt, ginger and sesame oil (if you have it) in a mixing bowl. 

( I added raisins to my mix. I love love love raisins!)


2. Prepare your dumpling wrappers. Fill the middle with a teaspoonful of the meat mix, fold and secure the sides with a dab of water or beaten egg.

3. Prepare a flat frying pan in medium heat and add in cooking oil. Fry each side of the dumplings until brown.

5. When the dumplings are brown, lower the heat and add about 4-5 tbsp of water in the pan. Get a pan cover ready because it sizzles! Cover immediately and let it steam for about 3 minutes or until the water is gone. It doesn't sizzle as much anymore when the water is gone.

6. Take out the gyoza from the pan and serve piping hot with Tabasco Sauce or Kikkoman Soy Sauce with squeezed lemon. YUM!

Another yummy treat because I want you to eat!
♥ Chef Shak