A fusion of flavors for big game day snacking

Each year, football fans gather to watch their favorite teams battle it out on the gridiron. Those battles can get pretty fierce, and football fans know they’re best watched with some delicious food on hand.

This recipe for “Philly Cheesesteak Dumplings” from “Judy Joo’s Korean Soul Food” (White Lion Publishing) makes for a great addition to any game watch party table. These crispy appetizers meld Korean and American flavors together for a truly unique offering.

Philly Cheesesteak Dumplings

Makes about 45

50 thin square eggless wonton wrappers (around 4 inches in size)

Vegetable oil, for frying

Filling:

5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped

1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil

1 pound, 2 ounces cooked, shredded beef short ribs

11 ounces cabbage kimchi, drained and finely chopped

31⁄2 ounces spring onions, finely chopped

3 ounces pickled jalapeños, finely chopped

1 pound, 2 ounces mature cheddar cheese, grated

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To serve:

Silgochu (dried chilli threads)

1 spring onion, julienned and soaked in ice water until curled, then drained

Sriracha

For the filling, first sauté the mushrooms in the sesame oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat until just softened. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the filling ingredients with the mushrooms. Mix together using your hands, really breaking up the short rib meat to make a uniform texture.

For the dumplings, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment and set aside. Fill a small bowl with water. Unwrap the wonton wrappers and cover lightly with a piece of clingfilm to keep them moist. Lay a wrapper on a clean work surface and put 1 ounce of the meat filling in the center. Dip a forefinger into the water and run it along the edges of the wrapper to moisten the surface. Now bring the open edges to the center, and pinch where the edges meet each other, creating four seams in a cross shape. Set aside and cover with clingfilm or a damp tea towel while you shape the rest. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling, making sure the dumplings are not touching on the baking sheets.

To a medium saucepan, add the vegetable oil and heat to 340 F (170 C). Working in batches, place the dumplings on their sides in the pan in a single layer without crowding. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the fried dumplings to a wire rack or kitchen paper-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining dumplings. If you don’t plan on cooking them straight away, you can freeze them on the baking sheets, then bag them up and store in the freezer.

Top with some of the silgochu and curly spring onion and serve immediately with the sriracha.