Description
Delicious Japanese Gyoza dumplings featuring a savory pork and vegetable filling wrapped in delicate wonton wrappers, pan-fried to golden crispness and steamed to tender perfection. Served with a tangy soy-vinegar-chili dipping sauce, these dumplings make a perfect appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 1/2 cups green cabbage, very finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt, separated
- 1 lb (500g) ground pork (mince), fattier the better
- 1 cup garlic chives, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour)
- 2 tsp soy sauce
Assembly
- 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) – for dusting tray
- 40 – 45 round wonton (gyoza) wrappers (about 1 1/2 packets)
Cooking
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil (or other cooking oil)
Dipping Sauce
- Soy sauce (to taste)
- Rice wine vinegar (to taste)
- Chili oil (Rayu, Japanese chili oil) (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage: Combine the finely chopped cabbage with 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the cabbage to wilt and release excess moisture.
- Mix the filling: Place the ground pork, garlic chives, crushed garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tsp soy sauce, remaining 1/2 tsp salt into a large bowl. Squeeze out any excess water from the cabbage and add it to the bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix all filling ingredients together for a uniform blend.
- Prepare the work surface: Sprinkle a baking tray with 1 tsp cornstarch to prevent sticking. Set aside your gyoza wrappers.
- Wrap the gyoza: Place one gyoza wrapper on your palm. Dip your finger in water and run it around half the edge of the wrapper to moisten for sealing. Place a slightly heaped tablespoon of filling on the moistened half. Fold the wrapper over to enclose the filling and use your thumb and fingers to create approximately 4 pleats along the edge, pressing firmly to seal. Place each finished gyoza on the prepared tray. Repeat until all wrappers are filled.
- Heat oil for cooking: Warm 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet that has a lid over medium-high heat.
- Pan-fry the gyoza: Arrange about 12 gyoza in rows in the skillet, slightly overlapping. Cook until the underside is light golden brown.
- Steam the gyoza: Pour 1/3 cup water around the gyoza in the skillet and immediately cover with the lid. Allow the gyoza to steam until the water has evaporated fully, about 3 to 4 minutes, and the tops become slightly translucent. This ensures the filling cooks through and wrappers soften properly.
- Finish cooking and serve: Use a spatula or egg flip to carefully transfer the gyoza onto a plate upside down so the golden side is facing up. Serve hot with dipping sauce.
- Make the dipping sauce: Serve soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and chili oil separately so diners can mix to taste. A typical ratio is equal parts soy sauce and vinegar with a generous splash of chili oil.
Notes
- The fattier the ground pork, the juicier and more flavorful the filling will be.
- If you cannot find gyoza wrappers, round wonton wrappers are a suitable substitute.
- Squeezing out excess cabbage moisture prevents soggy filling and helps maintain good texture inside the dumplings.
- Folding pleats can be tricky—watch a video tutorial for technique guidance.
- Use a skillet with a lid for proper pan-frying and steaming in one pan.
- Adjust dipping sauce ingredients to your preferred balance of salty, tangy, and spicy flavors.
