Monday, March 18, 2024

Gyoza

Gyoza or Japanese pot stickers are pan-fried dumplings typically filled with ground pork and shredded cabbage.

It is a delicious appetizer that you dip in ginger-soy sauce with mirin or rice wine vinegar and sesame oil and/or chili oil. I like to pair it with ramen or any stir-fried noodles.

Gyoza is one of the things I am missing since we have this pandemic. I regretted not lining up for that famous gyoza when we were in Tokyo because it was too long.

We were already hungry then so we went to a different restaurant but they don’t have gyoza in the menu.

We should have just gone back there before going back home to get another chance to get a table. Oh, well. I am looking forward to the day when Covid19 will finally leave this world alone and live our normal lives and to hopefully able to make travel plans again.

Anyway, after making siomai again, I thought of giving gyoza another try too and I want to make everything from scratch.

It wasn’t as difficult as I remember the first time I tried it.

Making the dumpling wrapper is actually easy. The pleating or shaping, takes practice to get good at but it is not complicated to do.

I find it quite relaxing and fun to make. My first ones look bad, but I noticed that I’m getting better at pleating with each dumpling as I go on.

I can only make one design and I’m quite satisfied with it.

Here are some tips for the dumpling wrapper that I got from here.

  • the texture is better when I use hot water
  • kneading the dough until it is very soft makes it tender
  • Adding some cornstarch makes the dough softer and easier to roll out thinly
  • Always keep the dough covered to prevent it from drying out

I’ve come up with my own proportion of water and flour for my dumpling water. The recipe below makes a small quantity about 16-18 pieces, good for 4 persons depending on their appetites.

It’s a good amount to practice with, if you feel like you can handle more or you want to make extra to store for future use, then just double the recipe.

Yummy Gyoza! Try making it too.

Start by mixing flour and a little cornstarch with hot water

mix well until it comes together..

..and form it into a rough ball and let rest for at least 15 mins

..then knead dough for about 5-8 mins

until it is soft and smooth. Let dough rest covered for an hour

Divide dough into 16-18 equal pieces. Form each portion into a ball, then flatten it your fingers and using a small rolling pin, roll dough thinly to about 3-4 inches in diameter

Don’t worry if it’s not perfect circle because once you fill it, it will not be noticeable at all

To make gyoza, put about a teaspoonful of meat and veggie filling in the center of the dumpling wrapper and fold wrapper into half

..pinch the edge to seal the dumpling. You can stop here and steam the dumplings

or do some pleating to really secure the edges of the dumpling. So far, I can only do this design.

I need more practice making other folds 😀 This is really fun to do. It’s a good stress-reliever. I let my kids help me sometimes when I can pull them away from their phones or computers.

But they complain that I end up doing everything and none left for them to fold after they’re done with their first dumpling. 😀

Pan-fry the gyozas in hot sesame oil. This photo is from the very first time we made it

flip to brown the other side. Add a little water to the pan and cover it to steam the gyozas. Look at those gyozas, not bad for our first try, huh?! 😀

It’s okay as long as it can hold the filling inside 😉

Ta-da! Homemade gyozas are so yummy! Dip it it soy sauce with ginger and rice wine vinegar or mirin and enjoy as an appetizer.

Or have it for dinner or lunch…so good paired with japchae! I accidentally over-cooked (actually slightly burned) my gyozas here as you can see the top is really dark but they are still good. Not pretty in the photos though.

Gyoza

Olive
Japanese pot stickers. These pan-fried and steamed dumplings are great appetizers. These are also perfect paired with your favorite Ramen or any noodle dish.
5 from 2 votes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 16 gyozas

Ingredients
  

DUMPLING WRAPPER

GYOZA FILLING

Dipping Sauce

Instructions
 

MAKE THE DUMPLING DOUGH:

  • Sift all-purpose flour and cornstarch in a bowl
  • Pour hot water and using chopsticks or small wooden spoon, stir mixture until it comes together then using your hands, form dough into a rough ball
  • Let dough rest, covered for 15-30 minutes
  • Lightly flour a work surface and knead dough for about 5-8 minutes or until it is very soft.
  • Form into a ball and cover with a plastic wrap or damp towel. Let dough rest for an 30 mins to an hour.
  • Divide dough into 16-18 equal pieces.
  • Sprinkle flour on your work surface (and the dough) as necessary to prevent dough from sticking.
  • Form each piece into a small ball then flatten to make a disc.
  • Cover the rest to prevent them from drying out.
  • Using a small rolling pin, flatten dough to 3-4 inches in diameter.
  • Set aside, cover and repeat with remaining dough.

MAKE THE GYOZA FILLING:

  • Heat a pan over high heat, add sesame oil then add shredded or thinly sliced cabbage, add a little water (about 2 tablespoons) and cook until cabbage is soft.
  • Turn off heat and let cool.
  • Combine the rest of the ingredients for the filling in a bowl.
  • Mix well then add the cooked cabbage and mix.

MAKE THE GYOZA:

  • Get a gyoza wrapper and put a teaspoonful (or more) of filling in the center.
  • Fold in half and pinch the edges to seal the dough.
  • You now have a crescent shape dough, you can now proceed to cooking (make sure that the edges are sealed together) OR–
  • Double seal the gyoza by making pleats.
  • Using your thumb, index and middle finger, make pleats or folds from one end of the crescent dough to the other.
  • It doesn't have to be perfect.
  • Repeat with the remaining gyoza.
  • Heat a saute pan or frying pan over medium high heat. Add sesame oil.
  • When oil is hot, put gyozas in carefully and fry until brown then flip to fry the other side
  • Carefully pour some water to the pan (2-3 tablespoons) to create steam and cover the pan and reduce heat. Cook gyoza until water is gone.

DIPPING SAUCE:

  • Combine soy sauce, ginger, mirin and sesame oil in a small bowl.
Keyword gyoza, gyoza recipe, how to cook gyoza, how to make gyoza
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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