Perfect little dumplings filled with juicy pork and fragrant veggies. Each has the ultimate contrast of soft, delicate wrapping with a browned crispy bottom. This recipe will make about 35 gyozas in 45 minutes. Dipping sauce recipe included!
I don't eat a lot of frozen food, but when I do, there's an 89% chance it's frozen gyoza. I. LOVE. THAT. SHIT!! But as good as they are, nothing ever compared to the fresh dumplings my childhood best friend's mom would make from scratch. The wrappers were perfectly soft and chewy, and the filling oozed with juiciness. Shoutout to Ms. Chu!
This week, I finally mustered the courage to try my own. After reading a few recipes, I decided to use Lisa Lin's pork and cabbage recipe as a base. It's much easier than I thought it would be... especially if you use store-bought skins and use a simpler folding method like me!
Ingredients:
1 package gyoza skins, about 40 wrappers (These are the round, not square ones. You can find this at your local Asian market; they're in the frozen section.)
1 lb. ground pork (80% lean, 20% fat)
1 1/2 cups green cabbage, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced or grated ginger
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
For the dipping sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (Chinese black vinegar would have been better, but I didn't have any...)
1 teaspoon chili oil (less if you aren't a spicy bitch like me)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Optional: Lao Gan Ma spicy chili crisp is AMAZING with this, too!
Instructions:
Make the filling and the dipping sauce:
Sauté the cabbage, ginger, and garlic with one tablespoon of oil until the cabbage softens a little, about 2 minutes. (Lisa suggests sautéing the scallions, too, but I kept them raw so they maintain their fresh bite.) Set aside on a plate and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes.
Make the dipping sauce by whisking together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, add the pork, water, and cornstarch. Stir for 6-7 minutes with a spoon or chopsticks to tenderize and juicify the meat. The consistency should turn a little paste-like.
Add the sautéed veggies, raw scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar and combine to mix.
Wrapping the dumplings:
(See photos below. Not gonna lie, this is the hardest part if you've never make dumplings before. Don't be discouraged! I fucked up a few before getting it right, and mine are still far from perfect. This video helped me a lot.)
Set up your wrapping station. You'll need a small bowl of water, a parchment paper-lined tray, and a spoon.
Place a wrapper the palm of your non-dominant hand (SHOUT OUT LEFTIES!) and spoon about a tablespoon of filling into the center of the wrapper. Do not overfill! It's best to start out with small amounts and work your way up once you have the muscle memory.
Using your finger, wet the edges of half the wrapper.
Fold the wrapper in half, pinching tightly only at the very top.
Using your index finger and thumb clasp the sides of dumpling and pinch towards yourself. Pinch harder, baby!!!! The end result should result in a gyoza that curves inward and can stand on its own.
If the sides aren't sticking together, wet the tips of your fingers and pinch again to seal.
You can fry them immediately or freeze them in a single layer for later.
Fry the dumplings:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat in a large pan.
Place gyoza in the pan, seam-side up. You will need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, or until you see the bottom edges start to brown.
Lower the heat to a small flame, and add about 3 tablespoons water to the pan. Be careful! The water will splatter. Quickly cover the pan, leaving a small vent for steam to escape. Allow the gyoza to steam for about 5 minutes.
Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and enjoy!
I will be making this verrrry often from now on. I think I'll mess around and add shrimp, kimchi, or wood ear mushroom into the mix next time....
XOXO, Gyoza Girl
(Ms. Dumplin' if you nasty)