Vegan Gyoza with Tofu and Seeds Mince

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​Not your average Chinese dumplings. 

It is categorically undeniable. Veganism is reaching new height. Not only because more and more people are disgusted with the way animals are (mal)treated to feed a growing population, but also because way too many animals are slaughtered and a large quantity of meat and meat products are wasted each year. Supermarkets have created a demand for abundance and yet are contributing to a worldwide problem. By constantly providing stacked shelves, supermarkets and larger stores are virtually slaughtering thousands of animals, which otherwise would not be needed for human consumption. Growing demand from supermarkets also brings farming issues, such as the ever low prices such stores are willing to pay to farmers in order to maximise profits. While supermarkets price for the kilo of meat is constantly on the rise, it is far too disproportionate. Paying a farmer a coupe of pounds for a kilo a meat, supermarkets charge consumers an average of 10 times what they paid for.  
This is enough to make anyone vegan. Caring for animal welfare is a pertinent point but getting back at supermarkets for promoting 'bad' farming methods is another one, one I believe is the most important. 
Not only, would I never consider buying meat from supermarkets but I refuse to buy or eat conventionally raise meat or meat products. Conventional meat is nothing but a sick, obese, or otherwise diseased animal. Sure, the meat is labelled as safe for human consumption. It is after all a disease type us humans are afflicted with, also called metabolic disorders, whereas everything in the body is out of wack. Like us animals are forced to eat a diet that goes against their nature. Instead of eating grass (which, also cost nothing!), cattle is forced to graze on grains and feeds that are enriched with growth hormones, antibiotics and disease-causing chemicals. Chickens are raised in cages with barely enough space to breathe, awaiting to die, while humans play with lights so chickens provide twice as many eggs as they would otherwise, fed protein-rich feeds to their eggs is also twice as big. Other chicken that are raised in factory may be able to walk, but on top of each others and in their own faeces. Pigs are locked to the floor and never see the day of light, a human-made milk machine for their babies. Other atrocities are committed daily and by buying meat in supermarkets, we are directly contributing to their pain and to farmers having to cut corners and do 'bad' just to survive. If they had to disconnect themselves to protect their livelihood, we have to reconnect with food. And supermarket food is not the answer. 
Cheaper food is not innocent. 
Buying less is by far a better money saving argument. Buying less meat but directly from trusted farms is also wiser than going for cheaper plastic-wrapped cuts. Or if you prefer to make a bigger statement, become vegan. 
While, I am personally not a vegan person, I eat very little meat and never from supermarkets. Many butchers and organic farmers, platforms and other co-operative are delivering directly to your door, so that if you are too far from a farm or do not drive, there are still plenty of options to choose from. Go for the one that fits your budget. Some farm co-operative sell parts of an animal, and only when all parts have been purchased the animal is slaughtered.
​This is truly human nature. 

Recipe (serves 6 guests)

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Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour


Filling:
280 g Extra firm Organic Tofu
250 ml Vegetable Stock
100 g Ground Flax/Linseeds
25 g Pumpkin Seeds
25 g Sunflower Seeds
25 g White Sesame Seeds
25 g hulled Hemp Seeds
6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced 
1 bunch Spring Onions
1 medium Carrot
1 medium Red Onion
1 stick of celery
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp Chinese Five-spice
Salt and Pepper
A little coconut oil for frying


Wonton Base: 
250 g Flour
Enough water to bind
Corn Flour for dusting
Salt 
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Vegan Dipping Sauce:
50 ml Tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Ginger
(brunoise or julienne) 
​White of the Spring Onions

1. Place all seeds in a large mixing bowl. Cover with cool vegetable stock and leave to rest. 
2. During this time, fry the mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery cut into a brunoise) on very low heat with lid on. Stir from time to time, until the onion appears translucent (about 5–10 minutes). Increase heat slightly and fry the mushrooms and garlic for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with spices.
3. Once cooked, incorporate the vegetables to the seed mix. Leave to cool.
4. Once cool, crumble tofu or cut into very small pieces (or you can blitz it quickly using a food processor.) and stir in the vegetable and seed mix. Finally, add the sliced greens of the spring onions. Season to taste. Set aside. 
5. ​To make the wonton wrappers, place 200 g of flour into a food processor or mixer. Add salt. Start the appliance and add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms. 
6. Remove the dough and place it on a clean working surface. Dust with some of the remaining flour and knead the dough until all the flour is absorbed. Repeat until all the flour has been used. 
7. Shape into a ball. Take the dough and cover it with a slightly damp kitchen towel. Leave to rest for 25 minutes. For best result, leave it to rest for 2 hours. 
8. Cut the dough into 4 equal parts and shape into smaller balls. 
9. Using a rolling pin, flatten one of the dough balls and once thin enough, pass the dough into a pasta maker. Start with the wider setting and go to the next setting. Place the dough back to the surface, dusted with flour. Fold the dough ribbon on itself, lengthwise. You should end up with thinner ribbon. Flatten again with the rolling pin until the dough can once again go through the widest setting. 
10. Once the dough has passed through all the settings until the thinnest, lay the ribbon on surface once more and dust with corn flour to prevent the dough from sticking. 
11. Cut squares of about 8 cm and dust each one with cornflour before stacking them. 
12. Repeat until all dough is used. 
13. Cover wonton back with the slight damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. 
14. To fill the wontons, take one square at a time. Lay a square flat on a slightly dusted surface with corn flour. Wet with your fingers or a small paint brush the outside of the wonton wrapper. Put 1 tablespoon of the filling in the middle of the square (Or add a bit more if you like your gyoza full, but not so much that you cannot close it).     
15. Fold one corner over to the opposite corner to enclose the filling. Press the dough sides to glue ends together. Working from one side to the other, make sure to close the wrapper and remove as much air as possible. 
16. Once gyoza is made lay it on a sheet of parchment paper or cling film, so that it will be easy to remove them from the surface. 
17. Make the dipping sauce by placing all ingredients (except the spring onions) in a small pan and bring to boil. Simmer gently until the sauce has thickened. Leave to cool slightly. 
18. You can boil the gyoza but my favourite way is to fry them gently, over low heat, in a frying pan with a little coconut oil. Once nicely coloured, flip each gyoza over and pour a little boiling water from the kettle or a little vegetable stock for added flavour. Place lid and leave the gyoza to cook for about 5–7 minutes. Alternatively, place the fried gyoza in bamboo baskets and place baskets over boiling water. Serve immediately once cooked.
19. Add the spring onions to the warm dipping sauce and serve.

Tip fo the chef: You can also add a few dumplings in your ramen-style or miso soup. Bring the soup to boil, dip the dumplings and reduce to a simmer. Serve once dumplings are cooked (about 5–7 minutes). 

Serving suggestion.