Gyoza

• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

5 oz green cabbage (2–3 leaves) 2–3

2 green onion/scallion (0.5 oz, 15 g) 0.5 15

¾ lb ground pork

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice; from 1-inch, 2.5-cm knob)

1 tsp roasted sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 package gyoza wrappers (52 sheets per package; or make my homemade Gyoza Wrappers)

water (to fold and seal the wrappers)

neutral oil (1 tbsp per batch)

water (¼ cup, 60 ml per batch)

roasted sesame oil (1 tsp per batch)

Directions

To Make the Filling

Optional: As cabbage leaves are thick and hard, we use different ways to wilt them. You can blanch or microwave the leaves for a minute or two. You can also sprinkle them with salt to dehydrate the cabbage, then squeeze the water out. Or you can skip the entire process altogether.

Discard the thick core of 5 oz green cabbage; mince the leaves into very small pieces.

Mince 2 green onion/scallion into small pieces.

Combine the cabbage, green onions and ¾ lb ground pork in a large bowl.

Mince 2 cloves garlicand add to the bowl.

Then, grate the ginger and add 1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice) to the bowl.

Next, add the seasoning ingredients to the bowl:

1 tsp roasted sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Mix well and knead the mixture with your hand until it becomes sticky and pale in color.

To Fold the Gyoza

Prepare a small bowl of water.

Open 1 package gyoza wrappers; make sure to cover them under a damp towel or plastic wrap so they don‘t dry out.

To add the filling, place one wrapper in the palm of your non-dominant hand.

Use a teaspoon to put a small amount of filling in the center of the wrapper.

Dip one finger in the water and draw a circle around the outer ¼ inch (6 mm) of the wrapper with your wet finger until it’s wet all around.

Pleat and close (try using dumpling closer thing gramma k bought)

To Cook the Fresh Gyoza

To cook the fresh gyoza that you just folded, heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat.

When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Then, place the gyoza in a single layer, flat side down and without touching each other, in a circular pattern (or place them in two rows). You will need to cook the gyoza in batches; my large frying pan can fit about 13 pieces per batch.

Cook until the bottom of the gyoza turns golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Then, add ¼ cup water to the pan. Immediately cover with a lid and steam the gyoza for about 3 minutes or until most of the water evaporates.

Remove the lid to evaporate any remaining water. Drizzle 1 tsp roasted sesame oil around the gyoza in the frying pan.

Cook uncovered until the gyoza is browned and crisp on the bottom. Remove to a plate. Repeat this process to cook the other batches.

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To Freeze Uncooked (optional)

If you want to store some uncooked gyoza for later (optional), now is the time to freeze them. Before the filling starts to release moisture and make the wrappers soggy, lay out the gyoza on a sheet pan or plate in a single layer so they‘re not touching. Then, cover with plastic wrap and “flash freeze” them in the freezer until solid (or at least frozen on the outside). Once the gyoza are solid, pack them in an airtight bag to freeze. Because you flash froze them, the gyoza won’t stick to each other in the bag. Store the gyoza in the freezer for up to a month. When you’re ready to cook the gyoza, do not defrost them. Place the frozen gyoza in your frying pan and steam them for an extra 1–2 minutes (see cooking instructions below).

Tip: If you‘re cooking frozen gyoza, steam them for an extra 1–2 minutes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 38 kcal
• Total Fat: 2 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 5 mg
• Sodium: 49 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 1 g
• Protein: 2 g