Hanetsuki Gyoza With Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe on Food52 (2024)

There is never a bad time for dumplings. The day after Thanksgiving? It's an especially great day for them. After what feels like days of preparing and cooking traditional Thanksgiving fare, my palate is usually craving Asian flavors. But what to do with the mishmash of leftovers? Of course you can reheat them or make turkey sandwiches (the destiny for most T-Day leftovers). Or you can take these pan-fried dumplings (with wings!) for a spin.

This recipe for pan-fried dumplings makes use of some of the most common Thanksgiving leftovers, but feel free to use what you have. You can easily swap in things like sweet potato mash, green beans, and mushroom stuffing, provided you follow the rough ratio of components. You'll still need to introduce a few Asian ingredients like scallions, garlic, and a touch of ginger, to make the culinary bridge over from Turkey Day. You can easily adjust the soy-vinegar dipping sauce to suit your taste buds, omitting the chili oil entirely, for spice-shy eaters.

As for the added flourish of the "wings" (or "skirt"), I was inspired by one of my favorite izakaya eats, hanetsuki gyoza, whose thin, crispy skirt makes eating dumplings an even more enjoyable experience. You create the wings with a simple slurry mix composed of water and corn starch, kept in a measuring cup with a spout for easier (and safer) pouring. After giving the dumplings an initial pan-fry, lower the heat and pour some of the slurry mix in and around the sundial pattern of the dumplings. Cover tightly with a lid and steam until done; when you remove the lid, there should be a thin film forming on the bottom of the pan. Make sure all the liquid has evaporated before seasoning ever so lightly with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and carefully easing the sides of the wings off of the pan with a thin spatula (a fish spatula works great here). Carefully transfer to a plate and enjoy these Thanksgiving leftovers pan-fried dumplings with dipping sauce and an ice cold beer. —Hana Asbrink

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine turkey, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, gravy, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Mix until well-combined. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until well-combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. This will yield about 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups of dumpling filling.
2. Prepare the dumpling pleating station: Fill a small bowl with water (you will dip your fingers in here to help seal the dumplings). Keep a damp paper or kitchen towel over the dumpling wrappers when not in use. Sprinkle some corn starch on a large plate or small sheet pan.
3. Assemble the dumplings: Run a wet finger around the perimeter of a dumpling wrapper. Place about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of dumpling filling in the center of the dumpling wrapper. Fold over to create a semi-circle shape and pinch the top of the dumpling closed. Starting from one side, from the center moving downwards, slowly fold and make about 3 pleats. Repeat on the other side. Once dumpling is closed, firmly pinch the pleats once more. Set the dumpling on a flat surface and create a flat "seat" or surface (this is the side that will go on the pan). Place on corn starch-sprinkled plate or sheet pan and keep covered with a damp paper or kitchen towel. Repeat process until all filling and/or wrappers are used.
4. Prepare dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, la-yu, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds. Mix and set aside.
5. Prepare the slurry: In a measuring cup, combine 1 cup water and cornstarch. Mix until well-combined and no lumps remain. (You will use about 2 1/2 tablespoons of slurry per pan of dumplings; expect about 1/4 cup or less of leftover slurry at the end.)
6. Cook the dumplings: In a small nonstick pan (recommend an 8-inch pan with 6-inch cooking surface), add enough neutral oil to thinly coat the bottom (about 1 1/2 teaspoons), and heat over medium-high heat. Add dumplings in a sundial pattern (an 8-inch pan fits about 8 dumplings comfortably at a time) and cook until the dumpling bottoms turn a light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. The first batch will take closer to 3 minutes; subsequent batches will only need about 2 minutes.
7. Lower the heat to medium, re-mix the cornstarch slurry, then carefully pour about 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of the slurry mixture in and around the dumpling circle, making sure to cover the bottom of the pan. Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook until skins are translucent and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. At any point, if the skirt is browning to quickly, lower the heat. Remove the lid and let any excess water evaporate. Use a finger to cover most of the top of the toasted sesame oil bottle, and (sparingly) drizzle toasted sesame oil around the perimeter of the pan. This will both add flavor and help ease the dumplings from the pan. Using a thin, flexible spatula, loosen the outer edges of the dumpling circle from the pan. The “wing/skirt” will start to lift off of the edge of the pan when crisp, another 1 to 2 minutes of cooking. Lightly shake the pan until the dumpling circle and “wing/skirt” loosen. Place a plate over the pan and *carefully* flip the dumplings onto the plate. Repeat with remaining dumplings.
8. Enjoy dumplings while hot. Serve with dipping sauce.

Recipe by: Hana Asbrink