Fried Gyoza(6) Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Trim and finely chop the Napa cabbage. Place chopped cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, let sit 5 minutes, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible using your hands or a clean kitchen towel. Measure drained cabbage — should be about 60–80 g after squeezing.

Mince aromatics

Finely mince the green onion, garlic, and grate the ginger. Combine in a small bowl.

Mix filling

In a medium bowl combine ground pork, drained cabbage, minced aromatics, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sake, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or your hand until mixture becomes slightly sticky (about 1–2 minutes). Cover and refrigerate while you prepare wrappers.

Make flour slurry

Stir 1 teaspoon flour and 1 teaspoon water into a smooth slurry — this will be used as the glue to seal wrappers.

Assemble gyoza

Place one gyoza wrapper flat in your palm. Put about 1 tablespoon (approx. 15 g) of filling in the center. Lightly brush the wrapper edge with the flour slurry. Fold wrapper in half over the filling to form a half-moon, press center to seal. Starting at one end, create 3 small pleats along the sealed edge, pressing each pleat firmly to seal and ensure no air pockets. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling to make 6 gyoza. Keep assembled gyoza covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Heat pan

Heat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and swirl to coat the bottom.

Pan-fry gyoza

Arrange the gyoza flat-side down in the skillet in a single layer without crowding (they may touch). Fry for 2–3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

Steam to cook through

Carefully pour 40 ml (about 2–3 tablespoons) water into the pan around the gyoza (away from the oil to avoid splatter). Immediately cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium and steam for 4–5 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the filling is cooked through (pork should reach 71°C / 160°F).

Crisp the bottoms

Remove the lid and continue cooking 1–2 minutes to re-crisp the bottoms. If desired, tilt the pan and spoon a little remaining oil over the browned edges for extra color. Transfer gyoza to a plate with a spatula, browned side up.

Whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon chili oil (if using). Serve on the side for dipping.