Place the finely shredded napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt, toss, and let sit for 10 minutes. After resting, squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Measure the drained cabbage; you should have about 1 cup packed. This prevents soggy filling.

Mix filling

In a medium bowl combine the drained cabbage, ground pork, chopped green onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp mirin, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp potato starch. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or your clean hand until the mixture becomes slightly sticky and evenly seasoned (about 1–2 minutes). Chill in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes if time allows to make wrapping easier.

Assemble Gyoza

Set up assembly

Arrange gyoza wrappers, a small bowl of water (for sealing), and a lined tray for finished dumplings. Keep a damp towel over unused wrappers to prevent drying.

Portion filling

Spoon about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of filling (roughly 12–15 g) into the center of each wrapper — use less for smaller wrappers and more for larger. Do not overfill to avoid tearing during folding.

Seal and pleat

Dip a fingertip in water and wet the edge of the wrapper. Fold wrapper in half over filling and press to seal at one point. Starting from one side, create 3–4 small pleats along the edge, pressing each pleat to the opposing side to form a crescent-shaped dumpling with a firmly sealed edge. Ensure no air pockets remain. Place finished dumpling on the tray seam-side up. Repeat until all wrappers are filled (about 24 gyoza).

Cook (Pan-sear then Steam)

Heat pan

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp neutral oil and swirl to coat the bottom.

Arrange gyoza

Place 8–10 gyoza in the pan seam-side up or flat side down (depending on shape), leaving space between each so they don't stick together. Cook for 2–3 minutes without moving, until the bottoms are golden brown.

Steam/finish

Carefully pour 3/4 cup water into the pan (it will sizzle and steam). Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5–6 minutes until water has mostly evaporated and filling is cooked through (pork should reach 71°C / 160°F).

Crisp bottom

Remove lid and continue cooking 1–2 minutes to re-crisp the gyoza bottoms. Use a thin spatula to transfer dumplings to a serving plate, crispy side up.

Repeat

Repeat the pan-sear/steam process with remaining gyoza, wiping the pan if necessary and adding more oil between batches.

Make Dipping Sauce & Serve

Combine sauce

In a small bowl mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp chili oil (optional), 1/4 tsp sugar (optional), and 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Taste and adjust acidity or heat as desired.

Plate and garnish

Arrange gyoza on a platter, sprinkle with thinly sliced scallions and additional sesame seeds or shredded nori if desired. Serve hot with dipping sauce on the side.