Gyoza Chicken Dumplings (steam) (6) Recipe

Shred and salt cabbage

Finely shred the cabbage and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of the salt, toss, and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture firmly (use a towel or hands) and discard the liquid. This prevents soggy filling.

Mix filling

In a medium bowl combine ground chicken, drained cabbage, chopped scallions, grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, remaining 3/4 tsp salt, white pepper and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or your hand until sticky and well combined (about 1-2 minutes). The cornstarch helps bind and keep filling juicy.

Setup

Arrange wrappers on a clean work surface with a small bowl of water for sealing and a lightly oiled tray to place finished dumplings (brush tray with vegetable oil to prevent sticking). Keep a damp towel over unused wrappers to prevent drying.

Fill wrappers

Spoon about 1 tablespoon (roughly 15 g) of filling into the center of each wrapper. Do not overfill; leave room to pleat the edges.

Seal and pleat

Dip your finger into the water and moisten half the wrapper edge. Fold wrapper in half over filling and pinch in the center to seal. Starting from the center, make 3-4 small pleats on one side of the top edge and press to meet the opposite edge, creating a gyoza shape. Ensure there are no gaps. Place finished dumpling on the oiled tray. Repeat until all filling is used (about 18 dumplings).

Prepare steamer

Pour 500 ml water into a pot or wok and bring to a gentle boil. Place a steamer basket (bamboo or metal) lined with parchment paper with holes or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking, or lightly oil the steamer surface.

Arrange and steam

Place dumplings in the steamer basket in a single layer, leaving space between them so they don't touch as they expand. Cover and steam over boiling water for 8-10 minutes, until the filling reaches 74°C (165°F) and the wrappers appear translucent and tender. For a firmer wrapper, steam 10-12 minutes.

Finish

Turn off heat and let dumplings sit covered for 1 minute before removing to prevent tearing. Transfer to serving plates using a spatula or tongs.

Mix optional dipping sauce ingredients (soy, rice vinegar, chili oil) in a small bowl. Serve dumplings hot with the dipping sauce. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat by steaming 4-6 minutes or until heated through.