Pork Yaki Gyoza

A brown base that cracks under the teeth, contrasting with a translucent and supple top pastry. The pork filling is bound, juicy, with garlic heat and the depth of sesame oil.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 418
• Protein: 17 g
• Carbs: 24 g
• Fat: 27 g

Ingredients

• 300 g Ground pork ( fresh )
• 200 g Chinese cabbage ( finely chopped )
• 30 piece dumpling wrappers ( room temperature )
• 3 piece Scallion or chives ( thinly sliced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( pressed )
• 1 tsp Ginger powder
• 1 tbsp Corn starch
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 100 ml Mineral water
• 1 tbsp Rice vinegar ( for the sauce )
• 1 piece Fresh ginger ( grated )

Instructions

1. Cabbage preparation

   Finely chop the Chinese cabbage. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let drain for 10 minutes. Firmly squeeze the cabbage between your hands to extract as much water as possible; the vegetable must be very dry to prevent the dough from becoming soggy.

2. Filling preparation

   In a mixing bowl, combine the minced pork, drained cabbage, chopped spring onion, and pressed garlic. Add the grated fresh ginger, ginger powder, cornstarch, one tablespoon of soy sauce, and one tablespoon of sesame oil. Knead vigorously until the filling becomes sticky and homogeneous.

3. Shaping the gyoza

   Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper. Moisten the edges with a little water. Fold in half and create successive pleats on one side of the dough to form the typical curved shape. Press firmly to seal.

4. Browning the base

   Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan. Arrange the gyoza, flat side down. Let them sizzle without stirring until the bottom is well browned and forms a solid crust.

5. Steaming

   Pour the mineral water into the pan and cover immediately. Cook over medium heat until all the liquid has evaporated. The dough should become translucent.

6. Crispy finish

   Remove the lid. Drizzle a little sesame oil around the edges of the pan. Fry for one more minute to make the base very crispy again. Serve immediately with a mix of soy sauce and rice vinegar.

Chef's tips

• Do not overcrowd the pan; gyoza should not touch so steam can circulate.
• Squeezing the cabbage is the most important step to prevent gyoza from bursting during cooking.
• For an even crispier base, add a teaspoon of flour to the cooking water.

Storage

Freezes very well raw. Arrange them on a tray without touching, then bag them once hardened.