This is a continuation of the Spring Menu blog. The Main Course includes gyoza, miso talapia, Asian salad, rice and pickles. Today’s recipe is gyoza.
So, let’s start with the gyoza, which is the Japanese version of Pot Stickers. The Koreans and Chinese also have various types of pot stickers, so this is just a very basic recipe.
Gyoza
Ingredients:
- 1 packet Gyoza wrappers
- 1 lb. of ground pork
- 3 leaves of napa cabbage: this is also referred to Chinese cabbage and in Japanese it is called hakusai, if it’s not available just use regular cabbage- chopped fine into small pieces:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1-2 tablespoons water
To prepare; place the chopped napa cabbage into a bowl, lightly salt it and mix it well, then let it sit for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the ground pork, cornstarch, sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce, salt and pepper. The cabbage should be limp now. Squeeze the excess water from the cabbage and add to the ground pork mixture and mix well.
To wrap, place a teaspoon of the meat mixture into the center of the gyoza wrapper. Dip your index finger in the water/cornstarch mixture and wet around the edges of the gyoza and fold the gyoza. Follow this link on YouTube to get a visual : How to wrap gyoza It’s only 20 seconds long but it’s a great visual.
How to cook gyoza: Okay, amongst the Japanese, there are two opinions on how to cook gyoza. One is to fry the gyoza until it is nicely brown on the bottom and then add about 1/4 cup water and cover to let them steam. They are ready when all the liquid evaporates. The second is to steam the gyoza first and then fry them to create a crispy bottom. I found both styles on YouTube so you can choose your preferred method. I am old school, so I grew up with the first method. It works for me. How to Cook Gyoza – Method 1 and How to Cook Gyoza – Method 2.
We like to to dip our gyoza in a mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili oil. Enjoy it hot!
