Japanese Gyoza (Meat & Cabbage Dumplings)

My elder daughter, who isn’t very adventurous with food due to her fussy palette took a little convincing to take her first bite. Then she proudly exclaimed, “Mommy, I like dumplings!” and even wanted to dive her dumpling into the dipping sauce. We stopped her of course, doubt she will be able to handle the layu in it.

Eating these delicious little dumplings can be pretty pricey when you are dining out. So I decided to make them myself, and freeze a batch for quick fix lunch or side dish. Turned out really well I have to say, and it was pretty simple too! The pleating may need a little practice but once you got it, things move along pretty quickly.

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Mix with a chopstick until well combined and mixture is sticky.

Spread about slightly more than a tbsp of filling in the center of the dumpling skin.
Dip finger in water and wet the circumference of the dumpling skin.

Start pleating. I like my pleats to meet in the middle as shown below.
Here is a VIDEO to show you how to pleat gyoza.

Lay it out on a flat plate/tray. You can freeze it now for cooking later on or cook it immediately.
To freeze, set the whole tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then transfer semi-frozen dumplings into a ziplock bag for storage.

To cook immediately, heat oil on med-high.
Add dumplings in pan, be sure that dumplings are not touching each other.

Pan fry dumplings until bottom is golden brown (2-3 minutes).

Pour in 1/4 cup of water and cover with a tight fitting lid.
This traps the moisture and allows the dumping to steam.
Allow to steam for 2-3 minutes, then remove lid.
Check that dumping skin is slightly translucent and meat is firm.
Allow water to completely evaporate and remove from heat.
Flip dumplings onto serving plate and serve with dipping sauce.

Japanese Gyoza (Meat and cabbage dumplings)

Delishar

Makes 40-45 dumplings. Good for freezing.

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Ingredients

  

Dumplings

• 1 package of round dumpling wrappers
• 280 g minced pork / chicken
• 3 napa cabbage leaves minced
• 1 spring onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 shiitake mushrooms finely diced
• 1/2 tbsp sake / cooking wine
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• White pepper to taste

To cook (in 2 batches of 10-12 each)

• 1-2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup water

Dipping sauce

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• Layu / chilli oil to taste  optional

Instructions

 

• Mix all the ingredients for the filling together in a large bowl together with seasoning.
• Mix with a chopstick until well combined and mixture is sticky.
• Spread about slightly more than a tbsp of filling in the center of the dumpling skin.
• Dip finger in water and wet the circumference of the dumpling skin.
• Start pleating. I like my pleats to meet in the middle as shown below.
• Lay it out on a flat plate/tray.
• You can freeze it now for cooking later on or cook it immediately.
• To freeze, set the whole tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then transfer semi-frozen dumplings into a ziplock bag for storage.
• To cook immediately, heat 1 tbsp oil on med-high.
• Add dumplings in pan, be sure that dumplings are not touching each other.
• Pour in 1/4 cup of water and cover with a tight fitting lid.
• This traps the moisture and allows the dumping to steam.
• Allow to steam for 2-3 minutes, then remove lid.
• Check that dumping skin is slightly translucent and meat is firm.
• Allow water to completely evaporate and remove from heat.
• Flip dumplings onto serving plate.
• Continue cooking the other batch of dumplings.
• Mix all the ingredients of dipping sauce in a saucer.
• Serve dumplings with dipping sauce.

Notes

Here is a VIDEO to show you how to pleat gyoza.
https://goo.gl/p80rDs