Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers) with Leeks

April showers bring May flowers…and spring brings #leeksonfleek. Yep, it’s another round of seasonal challenges from my favorite Instagrammers and I’m contributing this recipe for Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers).

Back when I was in Manila, about 75% of the time that I ate at Japanese restaurants, I would order a plate of gyoza with my meal. It was familiar (a crescent shaped siomai!) and “safe to eat” option.

What is gyoza?

Gyoza are pan fried Japanese dumplings that make for a delicious appetizer or a quick meal. These are filled with ground meat (usually pork) and minced vegetables and wrapped in a thin wheat wrapper.

Gyoza was originally a Chinese dish called ‘jiǎo zi’ but has been widely embraced by the Japanese that it has become a popular side dish in izakayas, ramen stands, and supermarkets. Interestingly, gyoza is similar to the Korean mandu, as well.

Potstickers?

There are 4 types of gyoza depending on the method of cooking. I’m sharing a recipe for yaki gyoza (pan fried gyoza) today.

Yaki gyoza is cooked in 3 easy steps: fry-steam-fry. Heat a little bit of oil in a frying pan and fry the gyoza until the bottoms turn golden brown. The 2nd step involves adding just enough to steam cook the top portion of the gyoza. It is then left to fry in the remaining oil after the water evaporates.

This recipe

Most gyoza recipes use chives or scallions but for this challenge, I decided to use Japanese leeks instead (negi). I used both the white and green portions of the leeks.

Since I hurt my arm, I actually used a food processor to finely mince the cabbages, garlic, ginger, and leeks. I roughly chopped them up and tossed them into the food processor to finish up.

I bought some wrappers too, but if you want to try making your own gyoza wrappers, here is a good recipe for it.

To prevent the finished gyoza from sticking to the surface, sprinkle some flour over a plate or a baking sheet.

Gyoza making tips!

I’m quite happy with how the crimps came out – I worked real slow because of my arm. Here are some tips to have an easier time sealing the gyoza filling:

• Work with less filling for each dumpling. – The wrappers are small, and too much filling means a harder time to stick the edges together. The wrapper that I bought recommended a teaspoonful of filling.
• Generously wet the edges of the wrapper with water.
• Do a simple pleat, or just stick the edges together. You can also buy the dumpling sealer from Daiso. – Don’t be so hung up with the pleats; it’s the taste that counts. 😉

Want to cook gyoza for later? Stick the sheet of dumplings in the freezer, uncovered. Transfer them to a ziploc bag after an hour or so, when they’re completely frozen. To cook the frozen gyoza, follow the steps but add more water during steaming.

They are best eaten as soon as they’re cooked though. Serve them with some soy sauce and rice vinegar. Itadakimasu!

Spring Challenge: Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)

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• Author: Paula
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x

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Ingredients

• 125 grams ground pork
• 75 grams cabbage, very finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 50 grams leek, finely chopped
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsps soy sauce
• 2 tbsps flour
• 24 pieces gyoza wrapper
• 2 tbsps oil
• 1/4 cup water

For the dipping sauce:

• 2 tbsps rice vinegar
• 2 tbsps soy sauce
• 1 tsp chili oil (optional)

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Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the cabbage and salt. Set aside for a few minutes. After some time, drain the excess water from the cabbage.
2. Add the pork, garlic, leek, ginger, pepper, sesame oil, and soy sauce to the cabbage. Mix thoroughly.
3. Sprinkle the flour on top of a flat surface.
4. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water. Take a little more than 1 tsp of the mixture and put it in the center of a gyoza wrapper.
5. Seal the mixture by crimping the sides of the gyoza wrapper. Set aside on the floured surface while making the rest of the gyoza.
6. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Arrange the gyoza on the pan, about 12 of them. Slightly overlap each gyoza.
7. Fry for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, or until the bottom of the gyoza is golden brown.
8. Add the 1/3 cup of water and cover the frying pan. Cook until the water evaporates and the gyoza top turns translucent.

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Notes

• If you want to adjust the taste of the filling, take a small portion of the filling and microwave/fry it to taste.
• You can also add chives or scallions to the leeks.

• Category: Pork, Challenge
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Japanese

Here are the other bloggers participating in this challenge. Be sure to check them out!

• What Annie’s Eating – Roasted Side of Salmon with Fennel + Grapefruit Slaw
• Whatcha Cooking Good Looking? – Baked Bacon, Leek, and Tomato (BLT) Risotto
• Clean Plate Clb – Rigatoni with Leeks & Bacon
• Bappy Girl – Poached Cod with Leeks in Peppered Milk
• Jean Choi – Paleo & Keto Quiche with Smoked Salmon and Leeks
• Baking The Goods – Leek Lemon & Thyme Focaccia

See more seasonal challenges!

• Creamy Black Eyed Peas and Alfalfa Soup
• One Pan Pork Chops and Sausages with Apples
• Incredibly Moist Grapefruit Cake