Japanese Gyoza Dumplings Recipes

JAPANESE GYOZA DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Begin by blanching the napa cabbage in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain the cabbage in a colander and rinse with cold water. Squeeze any excess water from the cabbage with your hands.
• To the food processor, add the blanched cabbage, ground pork, smashed garlic, ginger, scallion, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture in the food processor until the filling is well-combined.
• Prepare sheet pans or cookie sheets lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper. To assemble the gyoza, place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of each wrapper, and use your finger dipped in a small bowl of fresh water to moisten the outer edges of the wrapper. You could simply fold them in half, or you can pleat them as you see in the photos. Make sure they are well-sealed.
• Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil in a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Place the gyoza in the pan and fry until the bottom of the gyoza become crispy and golden, about 2-3 minutes.
• When the gyoza have fried, add 1 tablespoon of water to the hot pan and immediately cover the pan to steam the dumplings. Let the gyoza to steam until the water has evaporated (about 2 minutes), remove the cover, and continue cooking until the bottoms of the gyoza get crispy again.
• Prepare your dipping sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, and serve alongside the crispy gyoza!

JAPANESE GYOZA (DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Combine cabbage and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl, then set aside for 20 minutes to allow the cabbage to wilt slightly.
• Place remaining Filling ingredients (including remaining 1/2 tsp salt) in a large bowl. Squeeze out any excess water from the cabbage and add to the bowl.
• Use your hands to mix the Filling.
• Sprinkle a baking tray with 1 tsp of cornstarch / cornflour.
• Place 1 gyoza wrapper on your palm (left hand for right-handed people). Dip your finger in water and run it around the edge of half the gyoza wrapper (to seal).
• Place 1 slightly heaped tbsp of Filling on the wrapper. Fold wrapper over and use your right hand assisted by your left hand thumb to create 4 pleats. Press to seal and place on the tray. Repeat with remaining wrappers. (See video for demo)

GYOZA (JAPANESE DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Dice cabbage finely and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Give it a bit of a massage. Leave for 10-15 minutes and then squeeze with your hands to remove any moisture.
• With your hands thoroughly mix together cabbage, ground meat, chives, mushrooms, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and pinch of salt.
• Dry your hands completely (or wrappers will stick). Place a gyoza wrapper on one hand and put 1 teaspoon filling in centre of wrapper.
• Brush edge of half the wrapper with cold water. Make a semi-circle by folding the wrapper in half. Pinch open sides of wrapper together with your fingers and seal the top.
• Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons sesame oil and arrange 20-25 gyoza in pan. Add 200ml water to cover bottom of pan, cover with lid and cook on medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes or until translucent, cooked and no liquid is left in pan. Take off lid and cook for another 30-60 seconds for the bottoms to go crunchy. Cook remaining gyoza or freeze them.
• Mix together soy sauce, vinegar and chilli oil, if using. Serve gyoza hot with dipping sauce.