Gyoza (6pcs) Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, toss, and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture tightly using your hands or a clean kitchen towel and return drained cabbage to a bowl.

Mix filling

Combine the drained cabbage, ground pork, sliced green onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, 1 tsp salt, and white pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or by hand until the mixture is sticky and evenly combined (about 1–2 minutes). Taste a small pinch by quickly pan-frying a tiny patty to adjust seasoning if desired.

Set up an assembly area with a stack of gyoza wrappers dusted lightly with cornstarch to prevent sticking, a small bowl of water for sealing, and the filling.

Place one wrapper in your palm. Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon (roughly 12–15 g) of filling into the center of the wrapper. Do not overfill; leave a small border.

Dip a finger into the water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a half-moon and press the center to seal. Create 2–3 small pleats on one side, pressing each pleat firmly into the opposite plain edge to ensure a tight seal. Repeat until you have 6 gyoza.

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

Arrange 6 gyoza in the pan flat-side down in a single layer, keeping a little space between each.

Cook without moving for 2–2.5 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp.

Carefully pour 3 tablespoons water into the pan (stand back — steam will rise), immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and let steam for 4–5 minutes, or until the filling is cooked through (internal temp for pork should reach 71°C/160°F).

Remove the lid and continue cooking 30–60 seconds to re-crisp the bottoms, then transfer gyoza to a plate.

Bring about 500 ml water to a simmer in a wok or pot fitted with a steamer basket. Lightly oil the steamer surface (or line with parchment with holes) to prevent sticking.

Place the gyoza in the steamer basket in a single layer, leaving space between each. Cover and steam over simmering water for 6–8 minutes, until filling is cooked through and wrapper is translucent and tender.

Carefully remove gyoza with a spatula or tongs and transfer to a serving plate.

Whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon chili oil (optional) in a small dish. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top if using.

Serve the 6 gyoza hot with the dipping sauce. For pan-fried gyoza, serve bottoms up to showcase the crisp. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and re-crisped in a skillet.