Pork and Mushroom Gyoza
Classic Japanese pan-fried pot stickers with a juicy ground pork, cabbage and shiitake filling, crisp on the bottom and steamed on top. Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. Makes about 52 pieces.
Ingredients
| 1 pkg | gyoza wrappers (52 sheets) | |
| 1 Tbsp | 15 ml | neutral-flavored oil (for frying each batch) |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | water (for frying each batch) |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | roasted sesame oil (for frying each batch) |
| 3/4 lb (340 g) | ground pork | |
| 5 oz (140 g) | cabbage (2-3 leaves) | |
| 2 | green onion/scallion | |
| 2 | shiitake mushrooms | |
| 1 | garlic clove, minced | |
| 1 inch (2.5 cm) | fresh ginger, grated | |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | sake |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | roasted sesame oil (seasoning) |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | soy sauce (seasoning) |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | kosher/sea salt |
| — | freshly ground black pepper | |
| 1 Tbsp | 15 ml | rice vinegar (dipping sauce) |
| 1 Tbsp | 15 ml | soy sauce (dipping sauce) |
| 1/8 tsp | 0.6 ml | la-yu Japanese chili oil (optional) |
Instructions
Make the filling: 1. Optionally wilt the thick cabbage leaves (blanch or microwave 1-2 minutes, or salt and squeeze out water), then remove the core and chop very finely. 2. Cut the green onions and shiitake mushrooms into small pieces. 3. In a large bowl combine the ground pork, cabbage, green onion and shiitake. 4. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. 5. Add the seasonings (1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp sake and black pepper). 6. Mix and knead by hand until the mixture turns pale and sticky.
Wrap: 7. Place a wrapper in your palm, add a small teaspoon of filling in the center, and wet the outer edge with a wet finger. 8. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling; pinch the center, then make 3-4 pleats from the center to the right, pressing each pleat tightly against the back of the wrapper. Repeat from the center to the left. Keep finished gyoza under a damp towel.
Cook: 9. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and place the gyoza flat side down in a single layer. 10. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 3 minutes. 11. Add 1/4 cup water, cover immediately and steam about 3 minutes until most of the water evaporates. 12. Uncover to evaporate remaining water, drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil around the pan and cook until the bottoms are crisp. 13. Serve with the dipping sauce (combine rice vinegar, soy sauce and optional la-yu). To freeze, arrange uncooked gyoza spaced on a tray, freeze, then bag; cook from frozen with 1-2 extra minutes of steaming.