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Gyoza (Gyojo) Japanese dumplings

Gyoza — Japanese Pan-Fried Dumplings

Juicy, savory, and full of Asian flavor for dinner! These Japanese gyoza are as interesting as they are delicious. The taste is hard to put into words — you just have to try them. If you like, stir a splash of fish sauce and rice vinegar into the filling.

Pirko Rita

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork

400

Soy sauce

Green onion

100

Salt

Lemon juice

Ginger

Garlic

Napa cabbage

300

Flour

Water

230

Potato starch

Olive oil

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 25 % 8 g

Fats 25 % 8 g

Carbohydrates 50 % 16 g

158 kcal

GI: 24 / 0 / 76

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make Japanese gyoza? It's easiest to start with the dough. Later, while it rests, you can prepare the filling and vegetables — that way you save time. Sift the flour into a deep bowl (I use all-purpose flour), then add the potato starch and two pinches of salt. Stir so everything is evenly combined.
Step 2:

Now gradually pour in boiling water (130 ml), stirring the dough first with a whisk and then working it by hand. Once it starts coming together, turn it out onto a board and knead for another 5 minutes until it's smooth and elastic. Return it to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3:

Meanwhile, make the meat filling. Grind the pork through a meat grinder.
Step 4:

Slice the green onion into thin rings and shred the napa cabbage into fine strips. Add the onion and cabbage to the ground pork along with the minced garlic, lemon juice, finely grated ginger, soy sauce, and salt. Mix everything thoroughly so the filling is evenly combined.
Step 5:

After 30 minutes, uncover the dough and pinch off a small piece to make it easier to work with (I divide it into about 6 portions). Roll it out thin and cut out rounds — mine are about 4 inches (10 cm) across. Dust with a little flour only if needed (I barely used any, just enough to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin — the work surface didn't even need dusting).
Step 6:

Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each round. Pour some plain filtered water into a small bowl.
Step 7:

Shape the gyoza like this: hold a filled round in your left hand. Dip the fingers of your right hand in water and run them around the edge — this helps the dough seal. Fold one half of the wrapper over the other, but don't press yet. Keep the near edge flat and pleat the far edge onto it, pinching folds with your right hand as you work from left to right.
Step 8:

Set the finished gyoza on a plastic-lined board (so they lift off easily later) and cover the top with more plastic wrap so they don't dry out. Shape the rest the same way. Then pour a little olive oil into a saucer, dip each gyoza in it, and arrange them in the pan. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.
Step 9:

Fry in a heavy-bottomed pan until golden (about 5 minutes), then pour in water (100 ml), cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium or a little lower (depending on your stove), and steam under the lid for 7 more minutes. Remove the lid and keep frying until the water fully evaporates. Plate them up and serve with soy sauce and fresh green onion.

Everyone in our family loved these dumplings. Gyoza are known for their garlic-and-ginger flavor tucked inside what look like ordinary dumplings. If it's your first time making Japanese dumplings, add the ginger and other seasonings a little at a time, adjusting to your taste.
Keep in mind that soy sauce is quite salty. Cut back on the added salt so you don't oversalt the filling.
The right pan makes a difference — even a great recipe can be ruined by the wrong one, so pick a good heavy skillet for pan-frying.
You can swap the pork for another ground meat. Just note that cooking time, flavor, and calorie count will change: beef takes longer than pork, while chicken or turkey takes less.