Gyoza

Gyoza are popular Japanese dumplings which originated from Chinese dumpling called Jiaozi. First Chinese dumplings mention in literature dates back in the Song Dynasty (960-1280). Although many Chinese foods were introduced to Japan around the beginning of the milleunnium. Gyoza did not became popular food in Japan until the late 1930
(the time of Japanese invasion of China).

Many varity of gyoza recipes exist, the most common one found in Japan is a mixtures of minced pork, cabbage, onion and egg wrapped into thinly rolled piece of dough. Chinese dumplings are wrapped in thicker wrapping dough.

Ingredients

• Minced Meat (200 g) : pork, beef, chicken or any kind of minced meat of your choice. Typical Japanese gyoza is cooked with pork. I prefer cooking with beef.

• Gyoza skins (30-35) : you can buy dumping wrappers in Asian store
(Gyoza skins are  made of wheat flour and eggs)

• 2 - 3 finely chopped Green onions or 1 yellow onion

•  1 egg,

• 1 - 2 grated garlic cloves

• 2 tablespoons of grated ginger

•  1 cup of finely shredded Cabbage
(many times I don’t put Cabbage in Gyoza and it is also very good)

• 2 teaspoons of salt & peppers

for Dipping sauce :
mix some soy sauce, rice vinegar and little bit of hot oil.

 

Mix 200g minced meat, finely shredded cabbage,
finely chopped green onions, garlic, ginger, one egg,
salt & pepper all together.
(it is easier to mix all with hand!)

   Wrapping Gyoza: form croissant

 

 1 - Place a spoon full of fillings in the center of a gyoza skin.

 

2 - Wet the edge of the gyoza skin with your finger using water.

 

3 - fold the gyoza skin in half, wet the edge of the gyoza skin again.

 

4 - pinch and pleat the edge about 4-5 times then press lightly to seal. 

(Normally, pinch and pleat only one side of the gyoza skin,
but I pinch and pleat both edges together.)

3 ways to cook gyoza

1 - Fry and steam

 

Heat oil in a frying pan on high heat.
Put gyoza in the pan and fry on medium heat until the bottoms become brown 

(2-3 minutes).

 

 Mix a teaspoon of flour in 1/3 cup water (this will make gyoza crisp),
then pour the water into the frying pan,
then cover it to steam for 3 minutes in low heat.
Take off the cover and cook until all the water evaporates
so gyoza are crispy on the bottom. 

2 - Deep fry

Fry gyoza in very hot oil until they are brown.
Deep fried gyoza are most fattening, but they are so delicious!  

3 - Boil

Drop gyoza into boiling water and allow to cook for about 6-7 minutes
or until dough is cooked and tender.

Serve gyoza with soup* and white rice

 

*Making soup with gyoza broth

After boiling gyoza in the boiling water, you can use its broth to make soup.

• Typical Japanese soup:
Add two teaspoons of “Hon Dashi” (Bonito Fish Soup Stock), soy sauce, mirin (sweet cooking sake) then add chopped green onion, sliced carrot,
chinese peas, sea weeds, mushrooms, tofu or any ingredients of your choice.

• Instead of soy sauce fravor, you can add some “Miso” (soy bean paste) in the gyoza broth and make tasteful miso soup.

• Or add any consommé cube to the gyoza broth.