Gyōza 餃子 (Japanese Potstickers)

Gyōza 餃子 (Japanese Potstickers)

Ingredients:

for the Gyōza:

100 g Green Cabbage

300 g ground Pork

a dash of Salt and Black pepper (to season the pork)

1 bunch Garlic Chives

2 cloves Garlic, peeled

.5" pc of fresh Ginger, peeled

2 tbsp roasted Asian Sesame Oil

2 tsp Soy Sauce (Shoyu)

2 tsp White Sugar

1 tsp Salt

a pinch ground Black Pepper

2 tbsp Katakuriko (Potato Starch)

50 (round) Gyōza Skins

Katakuriko Mixture (2 tbsp Water + 1 teaspoon katakuriko), for sealing the gyōza

Vegetable oil

roasted Sesame Oil

for the Dipping Sauce:

1 tbsp Rice Vinegar

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

a few drops of Rayu (Chili Oil)

Instructions:

Prepare the filling.

Heat a medium saucepan with water; bring it to boil over high heat.

Add-in the cabbage, and simmer until softened, about 3 minutes.

Then cool the cabbage under cold running water, and finely chop.

Squeeze out any excesses water from the chopped cabbage with your clean hands. Set aside.

Finely chop the garlic chives, and squeeze out any excess water with your clean hands. Set aside.

Grate the garlic and ginger. (*This process releases the ginger and garlic aroma, flavor, and heat.)

In a large mixing bowl, add-in the pork; season with salt and black pepper.

With your clean hands, mix the pork for about 1 or 2 minutes, until it becomes sticky. (*This will help the pork bind with the other ingredients.)

Add-in the cabbage, garlic chives, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt, black pepper, and katakuriko to the seasoned pork.

With your clean hands, mix well to combine, for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture becomes sticky.

Assemble the gyōza.

Fill the gyōza skins (*flour side of the skin on the outside of the gyōza) with the filling in the center, about a spoonful.

Wet your fingertips with the katakuriko mixture, and draw a quick half-circle ring inside the edge of the gyōza wrapper; and pinch them close to seal.

(*Cover the unused wrappers with a clean kitchen towel to keep them from drying.)

Make the dipping sauce.

In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce and a few drops of rayu. Mix well. Set aside.

Cook the gyōza.

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it's smoking hot. Pour-in a little vegetable oil, and use a wadded up paper towel or brush to spread it around the skillet.

Cook the gyōza in batches. Add them in rows (which will make it easier to remove once they're ready), and fill the skillet with water until they are covered about half-way.

Cover the skillet with the lid, and lower the heat to medium. (Open once in a while to let the steam escape.)

Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the water evaporates. Then drizzle sesame oil over the gyōza. Cover again, and cook for about 1 minute more, until the oil is absorbed. (The bottom of the gyōza should be a little crispy.)

Remove them from the skillet, lifting them up in a row with a thin, long spatula.

Place the gyōza onto a rectangular serving plate, and serve steaming hot with dipping sauce.

Happy Eating!!

Note:

Uncooked gyōza can be kept in the freezer in an airtight container or a plastic zipper bag. Just defrost them anytime, and cook them as you would normally.