vegetarian jiaozi

vegetarian filling for jiaozi
Originally uploaded by kattebelletje.

I have made jiaozi many times, but I don't change on the filling very much. Mostly it is the ground pork variety with cabbage, soaked shiitake and spring onions. But shops were closed, I felt like having jiaozi and I felt the challenge to make a vegetarian filling. So- I rummaged in my stock cupboard and here is what I found! A tin of gluten (a traditional meat substitute from Chinese cuisine), which I opened, drained and chopped finely. Now I soaked some dried shiitake mushroom and mu-er (black wood-ear mushrooms) and chopped these finely. Also, I added shredded cabbage, with water pressed out before adding it to the filling, 3 eggs, fried in oil, and chopped up after cooling. Some spring onions, one centimeter of grated ginger, about 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, Also, I soaked a handful of glass noodles (fensir) in boiling water until soft. Those were cut into the tinyest of chunks. For some extra crunch, I added some very finely chopped pine nuts and walnuts, too. I mixed all together, added some soy, some salt and tasted. Tasted OK! After making the jiaozi skins, I wrapped them into their jiaozi shape and after frying, guotie or gyoza style, I found them to be really tasty! Not bad for a first try! Next time when vegetarians come to dinner, they can have this for a starter, too.