Gyoza (5 Pieces) Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Finely shred the cabbage and place it in a small bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over it, mix, and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid firmly with your hands or using a clean kitchen towel. Removing moisture prevents soggy filling.

Make filling

In a medium bowl combine ground pork (or crumbled tofu), squeezed cabbage, chopped green onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sake (or water), 1 tsp sesame oil, cornstarch, a pinch of salt and white pepper. Mix with a spoon or chop repeatedly with a knife until the mixture becomes sticky and slightly pasty—about 1–2 minutes. This helps the filling bind.

Portion filling

Divide the filling into 5 equal portions (about 30 g each). Keep the wrappers covered with a damp towel so they don't dry out while assembling.

Fill and fold

Place one wrapper flat in your palm. Put one portion of filling in the center. Lightly moisten the wrapper edge with water. Fold wrapper in half over the filling to form a half-moon and press center to seal. Starting from one side, make 3 small pleats along the outer edge pressing each pleat to the bottom edge to seal; repeat on the other side as desired. Ensure each gyoza is well sealed to prevent leaking during cooking. Repeat for remaining wrappers.

Heat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl to coat. Arrange the 5 gyoza in the pan flat-side down in a single layer with slight space between them.

Pan-fry the bottoms for 1–2 minutes without moving them, until the bottoms are golden brown.

Carefully add 3 tablespoons water to the pan (it will sputter). Immediately cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid to steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 4–5 minutes, until the filling is cooked through (pork should reach 71°C / 160°F). For vegetable/ tofu filling cook until wrappers are translucent and filling is hot—about the same time.

Remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered for 30–60 seconds to evaporate remaining water so bottoms crisp again. Use a spatula to lift and transfer gyoza to a serving plate.

Whisk together 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil and optional chili oil or sliced chili in a small bowl. Adjust to taste. Serve alongside the gyoza.

Serve 5 gyoza warm as an appetizer or side. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of water and a lid to revive crisp bottoms.