Gyoza

Japanese pan-fried dumplings with a thin wrapper and a filling of pork, cabbage, spring onion, shiitake, garlic, and ginger, first fried and then steamed.

• 300 g green cabbage or white cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt for the cabbage
• 2 spring onions
• 2 shiitake mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 225 g ground pork
• 2 tsp sake, optional
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• Black pepper
• 24 gyoza wrappers
• Neutral oil for frying
• Water for steaming
• Rice vinegar and soy sauce for dipping

Method

1. 1
   Mix the cabbage with the salt and leave it to soften for a while. Then squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
2. 2
   Finely chop the spring onions, shiitake, and garlic. Mix them with the ginger, pork, sake, sesame oil, soy sauce, and black pepper in a bowl. Work in the squeezed cabbage until the filling is sticky and even.
3. 3
   Place a gyoza wrapper in your hand, add just under 1 tbsp of filling, moisten the edge with water, and fold into a half-moon with pleats along the edge. Repeat until the filling is used up.
4. 4
   Heat a little neutral oil in a nonstick frying pan. Place the gyoza flat-side down and fry until the bottoms are golden, about 3 minutes.
5. 5
   Add a few tablespoons of water and cover immediately with a lid. Steam for about 3 minutes until the filling is cooked through.
6. 6
   Remove the lid, let the water evaporate, and drizzle in a little sesame oil so the bottoms turn crisp again. Serve straight away with soy sauce and rice vinegar for dipping.