I think that pork dumplings are my favorite because pork meat is more fatty than other meats, and there's a ton more flavor. I sometimes like to combine the meat with very finely shaved napa cabbage too because I like how it makes the texture of the meat softer and less condensed, so the inside doesn't taste like a meatball. If you don't want to use cabbage, you can just add in more scallion for a softer inside or a small amount of minced mushroom will work too! 

You can purchase dumpling wrappers at your local Asian grocery store. I buy round gyoza wrappers from the freezer section at Tink Hall market in CLE's Asia Town area. Make sure you buy round wrappers though, square ones will not work for this folding method.

If you're wondering how I came to learn how to make dumplings you can thank zillions of random youtube tutorials that show how to make the perfect little pleats. Also, gotta give props to the little old man that helped me find the dumpling wrappers in the store. AND also this little Chinese restaurant called Mandarin by my house that makes the best dumplings - they're the ones that inspired me to use pork meat over other meat options!!

My mom told me a long time ago to start putting cornstarch in my chicken marinades when I'm making a stiry fry and it literally changed my life. It gives the chicken a better texture and flavor because the starch binds together the liquid ingredients in the marinade and seals them to the meat.

I started using this "Pepper Sa-te Sauce" I found at the Asian grocery store and it's a game changer. The ingredients are chili, garlic, bean oil, spices and salt so it's very spicy and heavy on the garlic. SO MUCH FLAVOR.

This recipe makes enough chicken for two people. If you want more of it, you can double the reicpe. I served the chicken with my hand-made Chinese noodles but you could do rice or something else instead - click here for the noodle recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 bonless skinless chicken breasts (I like to buy the thin ones)
• 4 scallion stalks, sliced into 1 inch pieces
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp chili oil

Marinade:

• 1-2 large garlic clove(s) minced
• 1-2 pieces of ginger root, peeled and minced (about the same size as a garlic clove)
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp water
• ​1 tbsp pepper sauce (details above)
• 1 tbsp cornsartch