Gyoza Steam (3) Recipe

Make sealing paste

Mix the 1 teaspoon flour with 1 tablespoon water until a smooth, slightly thick paste forms. Place in a small bowl and set beside your assembly station.

Lay out wrappers on a clean work surface covered with a lightly damp towel to prevent drying while you fill and fold.

Prepare cabbage

If using raw napa cabbage, finely shred and toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit 5 minutes, then squeeze firmly in a towel or between hands to remove excess liquid. Measure 1 cup packed for the filling. This prevents soggy gyoza.

Mix filling

In a large bowl combine 300 g ground pork, the drained cabbage, sliced green onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Mix with a spoon or clean hands until well combined and slightly tacky (about 1–2 minutes). Taste a tiny pinch by cooking briefly in a pan if you want to adjust seasoning.

Place one wrapper in your palm. Put about 1 rounded teaspoon (roughly 12 g) of filling in the center. Do not overfill—leave room to crimp.

Dip your finger into the flour paste and run a thin line along half the wrapper edge. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a semicircle, pressing in the center to seal.

Make 3–4 pleats along the sealed edge by folding small sections of the wrapper over themselves, pressing after each pleat to seal tightly. Repeat until all 24 wrappers are filled. Keep finished gyoza covered with a damp towel.

Pan-steam (classic method for crisp-bottom steamed gyoza)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons neutral oil and swirl to coat. Place up to 12 gyoza flat-side down in the pan in a single layer without crowding. Fry 1–2 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.

Carefully pour 3/4 cup water into the pan (it will steam and sputter). Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium and steam 5–6 minutes, or until water has evaporated and filling reaches 75–78°C (165–172°F).

Remove lid and cook 30–60 seconds more to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer cooked gyoza to a platter. Repeat with remaining gyoza in batches.

Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro or extra green onions if desired. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon chili or sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon sugar until sugar dissolves. Adjust to taste (more vinegar for tang, more oil for heat). Serve in small bowls alongside gyoza.