Every Asian culture has their own version of pan-fried dumplings. This Japanese version, gyoza, is filled with seasoned ground pork and cabbage, seared to create a browned crust on one side, and then steamed until cooked through. Served with a slightly sweet soy dipping sauce. Add chili oil or paste to your liking.
To form dumplings, place a round dumpling wrapper on a small plate or piece of parchment paper. Place about 1 Tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Use your finger to very lightly moisten the edge of the gyoza wrapper with water. Fold wrapper in half, using your thumb and index finger to fold pleats into one edge of the wrapper. Pinch the edges together to close and seal.
Place wrapped dumplings on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let raw dumplings rest for a few minutes before cooking to keep them from unfolding when cooking.
Sear in oil without moving dumplings until bottoms are browned and crisped. Then add water and cover to steam until cooked through.
For a low-carb version, use the same filling and wrap in softened cabbage leaves. Steam until cooked through, and then brown, if desired.
RECIPE:
Japanese Gyoza
1 lb ground pork
2 cups finely chopped or grated Napa cabbage
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbs chopped fresh chives
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbs sesame oil
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp salt
Gyoza wrappers (about 32)
Oil for frying
Dipping Sauce:
3 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs mirin
About 1 Tbs honey or sugar, or 5 drops stevia
1-2 tsp chili oil or chili paste, to taste**
In a large bowl, combine pork, cabbage, green onions, chives, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt. Mix well.
Spoon about 1 Tbs of the raw meat mixture into the center of a gyoza wrapper. Use your finger to very lightly moisten the edge of the gyoza wrapper with water. Fold wrapper in half, using your thumb and index finger to fold pleats into one edge of the wrapper. Pinch the edges together to close and seal. Repeat with remaining meat and wrappers. Set dumplings on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let raw dumplings rest for a few minutes before cooking to keep them from unfolding when cooking. (By the time you are finished filling, the first ones will be ready to cook.)
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2-3 Tbs of oil to the hot pan. Add gyoza in a single layer in the pan; don’t crowd pan or let gyoza touch. Cook, uncovered, without moving or lifting dumplings, for 3-4 minutes, or until bottom of dumplings are well browned.
Add about ¼ cup of water to the bottom of the pan and immediately cover pan with a lid; reduce heat to medium-low. Steam gyoza for about 4 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until the water evaporates. Remove gyoza from the pan and let them sit for 5 minutes before eating.
Dipping Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, vinegar, and mirin. Sweeten to taste with desired sweetener. If using sugar, heat sauce f0r 30 seconds in the microwave to dissolve sugar; stir.
Serve dipping sauce in small individual bowls. Let people add their own chili oil or paste to their dipping sauce bowl so that they can control how spicy they want their sauce.
Makes about 32 gyoza
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Cabbage Wrapped Gyoza
Gyoza Filling (see recipe above)
Dipping Sauce (see recipe above)
15-20 cabbage leaves (green or savoy cabbage)
Boil cabbage leaves for 5-7 minutes in salted water, or until foldable. Cool until able to handle.
Prepare filling as above. Fill leaves with 1-2 Tbs of raw filling.
Place cabbage leaves in a steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes, or until pork is cooked through. If desired, brown cabbage rolls in a hot skillet with 2 Tbs oil for 2-3 minutes after steaming.
Serve with dipping sauce. They will likely be too soft to be able to eat with hands, so serve with chopsticks or forks.
Makes about 15-20 cabbage rolls
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No Empty Chairs 