Japanese pork gyoza

Method

1. 01

   Salt and drain cabbage

   Mix 180 g finely chopped cabbage with 3 g salt and rest for 10 minutes. Squeeze out all visible water, weighing 180 g before squeezing, so the filling will not make the wrappers wet.

   

2. 02

   Mix the pork filling

   Combine 220 g ground pork, the drained cabbage, 30 g scallion, 6 g garlic, 6 g ginger, 20 ml soy sauce, 10 ml sake, 6 ml sesame oil, and 8 g potato starch. Mix in one direction for 3 minutes until sticky and cohesive, then chill 15 minutes; the mixture makes about 480 g, or 20 g for each of 24 wrappers.

   

3. 03

   Fill and pleat 24 wrappers

   Divide the chilled filling into 24 portions of about 20 g. Place one portion in each round wrapper, moisten the edge with a little water, pleat and seal firmly without trapped air, and keep the finished dumplings covered.

   

4. 04

   Mix the soy-vinegar dip

   Stir 60 ml soy sauce and 30 ml unseasoned rice vinegar together and divide into four small dipping dishes. Keep the dip away from the raw filling station and do not add chili oil or sesame.

   

5. 05

   Pan-fry the first 12

   Heat 15 ml neutral oil in a wide nonstick skillet over medium-high. Arrange 12 gyoza in one layer with their flat bottoms down and fry for 2–3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown; do not crowd the pan.

   

6. 06

   Steam until the pork is 74°C

   Pour 70 ml water around the dumplings, cover immediately, and steam-fry for 4–5 minutes. The wrappers should be tender and the pork filling must reach at least 74°C in the centre; keep the lid on while the filling cooks.

   

7. 07

   Dry and crisp the first batch

   Remove the lid and cook until all water evaporates. Add 5 ml sesame oil around the edges and fry uncovered for 1–2 minutes until the bottoms are crisp again. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the second 12 using the remaining 15 ml oil, 70 ml water, and 5 ml sesame oil.

   

8. 08

   Serve six with soy-vinegar dip

   Arrange six crisp-bottomed gyoza per serving on clean plates, for four servings total, with the soy-vinegar dip on the side. Keep the golden bottoms facing up and add no scallion, sesame, chili oil, or other garnish.