Finely chop the napa cabbage. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt (from the measured salt), toss and let sit for 5 minutes to draw out water. After 5 minutes, squeeze the cabbage in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible. Reserve.

Mince aromatics

Finely mince the garlic and ginger. Thinly slice the green onions (white and green parts).

Mix filling

In a mixing bowl combine ground pork, squeezed cabbage, minced garlic, minced ginger, sliced green onions, soy sauce (1 tbs), sesame oil (1 tsp), sake (1 tsp, if using), cornstarch (1 tsp), salt (1 tsp), and white pepper (1/4 tsp). Mix thoroughly with a spoon or chopsticks by turning the mixture against the bowl until it becomes sticky and cohesive (about 1–2 minutes). This gives the filling good texture and helps it hold together.

Wrappers & Assembly

Set up assembly station

Arrange a small bowl of the measured sealing water, a stack of gyoza wrappers, a small plate for finished dumplings, and a damp towel to cover unused wrappers so they don't dry out.

Fill and fold

Place one wrapper flat in your palm. Put about 1 heaping teaspoon (approximately 10–12 g) of filling in the center. Dip your finger in the water and run a thin line of moisture around half the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a semicircle, pressing at the top center to seal. Starting from one side, make 3 small pleats by folding a small section of the edge toward the center and pressing to seal; repeat on the other side if desired so you have 4–5 pleats total. Ensure the dumpling is well sealed and place it seam-side up on the plate. Repeat until you’ve filled all wrappers (makes about 18 gyoza; adjust if using fewer wrappers).

Pan-fry Steam Finish & Dipping Sauce

Heat skillet

Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the measured 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl to coat the surface.

Pan-fry gyoza

Place gyoza in the skillet seam-side down in a single layer, leaving a little space between each. Cook without moving for 2–3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.

Steam finish

Carefully pour the measured 100 ml water into the skillet (it will sizzle). Immediately cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 5–6 minutes, or until the filling is cooked through (pork should reach 71°C / 160°F).

Crisp bottoms

Remove the lid and increase heat back to medium-high for 30–60 seconds to evaporate remaining water and re-crisp the bottoms. Then transfer gyoza to a plate, seam-side up or down as preferred.

Make dipping sauce

In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon chili oil (optional). Adjust ratio to taste.

Serve

Serve the hot gyoza immediately with the dipping sauce. Provide extra soy sauce or chili oil at the table if desired.