The Gourmet Mama

I went through a bit of a ginger obsession a few weeks ago (I’ve noticed I’m not the only food blogger who gets hung up on one particular ingredient for a while) and this is one of the dishes that came out of it. The wrapper is actually a won ton wrapper recipe, but when fried, it came out crispier and thicker than anticipated. They were delicious with the dip I made up, though! Just goes to show that sometimes mistakes are a good thing.

Ginger Beef Filling

Makes about 3 cups

1 lb. ground beef

1 inch ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic

1 small onion, minced

1 red pepper, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

1/4 c. beef broth

Saute the onions until translucent.

Add the garlic and beef and cook until the beef is nearly done.

Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer until the broth has disappeared. Set aside.

Empanada Wrap

Makes enough for 16 wrappers

1 egg
3/4 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
1/2 c. water

Beat the egg with salt. Add in the water and beat until well mixed.

In another bowl, make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the egg mixture in. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Let it rest, covered, for about half an hour.

Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 3″ squares or rounds. Place a dollop of filling in the middle and fold the filling over. I found that using a little water to wet the edges of the dough made it come together better. Press to seal.

In a frying pan, heat about 1/2 inch oil until very hot. Carefully slide the empanadas in with a slotted spoon. Let cook 1 min. then flip. They will tend to puff up a bit. Cook 1 min. on the other side, or until toasty brown, remove and drain on paper towels.

Sweet and Sour Dip

Makes 1 cup

1/3 c. vinegar
4 T. sugar
1 T. ketchup
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 4 tsp. water

Mix vinegar, sugar, ketchup and soy sauce in a small pot. Bring to a boil and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Simmer for another 5 min. until the mixture thickens a little. This can also be used with real won tons.

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