Japanese Gyoza Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Trim the Napa cabbage and finely shred. Put shredded cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, mix, and let sit 10 minutes to draw out moisture. After 10 minutes, squeeze the cabbage firmly in a clean towel or between hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Reserve the liquid for other uses or discard.

Mince aromatics

Finely mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Thinly slice the scallions, using both white and green parts. Combine garlic, ginger, and scallions in a small bowl.

Mix filling

In a large bowl combine ground pork, squeezed cabbage, minced aromatics, 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs sake, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp white pepper. Use a spoon or your hands to mix thoroughly until the mixture is sticky and well combined (about 1-2 minutes). Cover and chill for 15-20 minutes to let flavors meld; chilling makes filling easier to handle.

Set up assembly station

Arrange wrappers on a lightly dusted (cornstarch) plate to prevent sticking. Keep a small bowl of the 50 ml water nearby to seal edges. Have the filling chilled and a small spoon or 1-tsp measuring scoop ready.

Fill and fold

Place one wrapper in your non-dominant hand. Put about 1 heaping tsp (approximately 10-12 g) of filling in the center. Dip your finger in water and moisten the wrapper edge half around. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to make a semicircle, press center to seal. Create 2-3 small pleats on one side by folding and pressing firmly against the opposite edge to form the classic gyoza shape. Repeat until all wrappers are filled. Keep finished gyoza covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.

Pan-fry and steam

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs neutral oil and swirl to coat. Arrange 12-16 gyoza in the pan flat side down in a single layer without crowding. Fry 2-3 minutes until bottoms are golden brown. Carefully pour 3-4 tbs water (enough to cover ~1/4 of the gyoza height) into the pan and immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid to steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 4-5 minutes until water evaporates and wrappers are translucent. Remove lid and cook 30-60 seconds more to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining gyoza, adding remaining oil as needed.

Alternative: boiling

If you prefer boiled gyoza (sui-gyoza), bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil, add gyoza in batches, and stir gently to prevent sticking. Cook 4-5 minutes until they float and filling is cooked through. Serve immediately.

Make dipping sauce by combining 3 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, and optional 1/2 tsp chili oil in a small bowl. Stir to combine.

Place hot mustard (karashi) on the side. For guests who want extra heat, provide a small spoon so they can mix a little mustard into their soy-vinegar dip or dab mustard directly on the gyoza.

Serve gyoza hot, bottoms crisp, with dipping sauce and hot mustard. Garnish with additional sliced scallions or sesame seeds if desired.