Ratatouille Gyoza

When Japan meets Provence, France, these ratatouille gyoza are what happens. Gyoza are pan-fried or steamed Japanese dumplings typically filled with meat. But in this fusion recipe, they're stuffed with an herby ratatouille-inspired tomato sauce with creamy cashew cheese. The perfect appetizer to wow your guests!

Ratatouille Gyoza [Vegan]

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more when making the discs
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• A pinch of salt

For the Filling:

• 2-3 eggplants
• 1 zucchini
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2-3 tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• 1 small bunch of thyme
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 1 large tomato
• 1 small onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 bay leaf, thyme and rosemary (or herbs)
• 1/3 cup cashews
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
• 2 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
• Pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil

Preparation

To Make the Dough:

1. Boil water.
2. Meanwhile, place the flour and salt in a bowl. Add boiling water and stir with a spatula, then let cool.
3. Using your hands, form a ball with the dough, but do not overwork the dough or it will be too tough to work with.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at least 1 hour.
5. Roll the dough into a long log and cut into 18 parts.
6. Flatten each portion into a circle with the palm of your hand, then, using a rolling pin, flatten from the edge to the center. It has to be as thin as possible.

To Make the Filling:

1. Cube the eggplant, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 30 minutes. In the meantime, chop all other ingredients.
2. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pot, add garlic and onion and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Add a little more olive oil to the pan, followed by the bell peppers. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the zucchini.
4. While the zucchini is cooking, rinse the eggplant. Once the zucchini is cooked, add the eggplant and cook. Once they have cooked through, set aside.
5. Add the tomatoes cut into quarters, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and a few whole garlic cloves (optional). Add salt and pepper and add a little olive oil and mix well.
6. Put the stew over low heat, covered and simmer for an hour minimum, stirring occasionally so it does not burn. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cook for as long as you like, or until the vegetables have absorbed the flavors.

To Make the Sauce:

1. Chop the onion and garlic, add to a pan, and fry until the onion turns translucent.
2. Add the bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and chopped tomato.
3. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients. This will be your cashew cheese.
4. Add tomato sauce to the cashew cheese sauce and mix again (do not forget to remove the bay leaves and sprigs of rosemary and thyme). Adjust seasoning if necessary.

To Make the Gyoza:

1. Put a generous teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the circle.
2. Fold the edges, pinching it into a half-moon shape or traditional gyoza shape.
3. Heat a little oil in a pan, add the gyoza, and fry for a few minutes.
4. Add water halfway through cooking time, raise to medium heat, cover, and let the water evaporate completely.
5. Remove the lid and allow the gyoza to cook a few moments to make them crispy.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/ratatouille-gyoza/