This week in Japanese, we are having fun in the cooking room making Gyoza.

Juicy on the inside, crispy and golden brown on the outside, these Japanese pan-fried dumplings, Gyoza, are a popular weeknight meal. These dumplings consist of ground meat and vegetable filling that are wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together.

The key characteristic of gyoza (ぎょうざ) lies in its cooking method, which involves both pan-frying and steaming. They are first fried in a hot pan until crispy brown on the bottom sides, then a small amount of water is added before the pan is covered to quickly steam the entire dumplings. This technique gives gyoza the best mix of textures, where you get crispy bottoms and tender soft tops that encase the juicy filling inside.

INGREDIENTS

1 package gyoza wrappers (available from Woolworths)

1 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc) (for frying each batch of gyoza)

¼ cup water (for frying each batch of gyoza)

1 tsp sesame oil 

For The Gyoza Fillings

250g  ground pork

2- 3  cabbage leaves finely sliced 

2 spring onions (finely sliced)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 knob ginger (2.5 cm: grated)

For The Gyoza Filling Seasoning

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

¼ tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For Dipping Sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

To Make Gyoza Filling

1. Cut green onions and cabbage into small pieces
2. Combine the ground meat, cabbage, green onions in a large bowl.
3. Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the bowl.
4. Add the seasonings (1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp sake, and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper).
5. Mix well and knead the mixture with hand until it becomes pale in color and sticky.

To Fold Gyoza

1. Take a wrapper and place it in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Use a teaspoon to take a small amount of filling and put it in the center of the wrapper. Dip one finger in a bowl of water and draw a circle around the outer ¼” of the wrapper with your wet finger until it’s wet all around.
   
   

★ Folding Method 1 (Toward Center)

1. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling and pinch it in the center with your fingers (but don’t seal yet!).
   
   
2. Using your thumb and index finger, start making a pleat about once every ¼“ on the top part of the wrapper from the center toward the right side, making 3-4 pleats. Tip: As you fold each pleat, press the folded pleat tightly against the back part of the wrapper using your other thumb and index finger.
   
   
3. Continue with the left side of the gyoza.
   
   
4. Press the pleats and shape the gyoza.
   
   

★ Folding Method 2 (Toward One Side)

1. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling.
   
   
2. Using your left thumb and index finger, start making a pleat about once every ¼ inch on the top part of the wrapper.
   
   
3. Once you make each pleat, press it down with your right thumb and make pleats toward the left side.
   
   
4. Continue all the way till there is no more top wrapper to pleat.
   
   
5. Press the pleats and shape the gyoza.
   
   

To Cook Gyoza

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, place the gyoza in a single layer, flat side down in a circular shape (or place them in two columns).
   
   
2. Cook until the bottom of the gyoza turns golden brown, about 3 minutes.
   
   
3. Add ¼ cup of water to the pan. Immediately cover with a lid and steam the gyoza for about 3 minutes or until most of the water evaporates.
   
   
4. Remove the lid to evaporate any remaining water. Add 1 tsp sesame oil around the frying pan.
   
   
5. Cook uncovered until the gyoza is nice and crisp on the bottom.
   
   
   
   
6. Transfer to a plate and serve with dipping sauce. For the dipping sauce, combine the sauce ingredients in a small plate and mix all together. 
   
   

いただきます!

Enjoy!
Kassie Miller
Japanese Teacher

Source - Just One Cookbook