Gyoza Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Core the Napa cabbage and finely chop. Place chopped cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss, and let sit 10 minutes to draw out moisture. After 10 minutes, squeeze the cabbage tightly over the sink or a bowl to remove as much liquid as possible; measure and discard excess water.

Mince aromatics

Finely mince the scallions (green parts), garlic and grate the ginger on a microplane or finely mince. Keep them together.

Combine filling ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, add ground pork, squeezed cabbage, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, potato starch, salt, and white pepper. Using chopsticks or a spoon, mix vigorously in one direction until the mixture becomes tacky and homogenized (about 1–2 minutes). This develops the filling texture.

Taste and rest

If desired, pan-fry a 1 teaspoon test piece of filling to check seasoning. Adjust salt or soy sauce if needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld (up to 1 hour).

Set up an assembly station: a small bowl of water for sealing, a spoon (or small scoop) for filling, a tray dusted with a little starch or lined with parchment to hold finished dumplings, and wrappers at hand.

Place one wrapper on your palm or flat surface. Put about 1 rounded teaspoon (approximately 10–12 g) of filling in the center of the wrapper. Avoid overfilling to ensure proper sealing and cooking.

Dip a finger in the water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to make a half-moon. Starting from one end, make 3–4 small pleats on one side of the wrapper and press each pleat to seal against the flat edge. Press firmly to ensure there are no gaps. Repeat until all wrappers are filled. Keep finished gyoza on the prepared tray, not touching each other.

Heat pan

Use a wide nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with a lid. Place the pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons neutral oil, swirling to coat the bottom.

Arrange gyoza in the pan flat side down, close together but not touching too tightly (work in batches if necessary). Fry undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

Once bottoms are browned, carefully add 120 ml water to the pan (it will steam and sizzle). Immediately cover with a lid to trap steam and reduce heat to medium. Steam for 5–6 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the filling is cooked through (pork should reach 71°C / 160°F).

Remove the lid and let remaining moisture evaporate over medium-high heat for 30–60 seconds. If desired, drizzle 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil around the edges and let it crisp for an additional 15–30 seconds to create a glossy, lightly crisp finish. Use a spatula to loosen and transfer gyoza to a serving plate, trying to preserve the crisp bottoms.

Mix the dipping sauce ingredients (2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp chili oil, sesame seeds) in a small bowl. Serve gyoza hot with the sauce on the side.

Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 48 hours. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water, covered, to revive the crisp bottom, or reheat covered in a microwave and then pan-fry briefly to crisp.