Description
Delicious homemade Japanese Gyoza, also known as potstickers, featuring a savory ground chicken and vegetable filling wrapped in thin gyoza wrappers, pan-fried to crispy perfection and steamed for a tender interior. Perfect appetizer or snack served with soy sauce and rice vinegar dipping sauces.
Ingredients
Filling
- ¾ lb green cabbage (¼ large head)
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for salting the cabbage)
- 2 green onions/scallions
- 2 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice; from a 1-inch / 2.5-cm knob)
- ½ lb ground chicken
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Assembly
- 1 package gyoza wrappers (52 sheets per 10-oz / 284-g package; or homemade)
- Water (to fold and seal the wrappers)
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil (for frying)
- 4 Tbsp water (for steaming)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (for finishing the pan fry)
For serving
- Rice vinegar (unseasoned) – 1 Tbsp per serving
- Soy sauce – 1 Tbsp per serving
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all ingredients needed for the gyoza filling, wrappers, and cooking process.
- Prepare Cabbage: Remove the thick core and thinly slice the cabbage into ⅓-inch strips, then finely chop crosswise. Sprinkle with salt and massage until wilted, then set aside.
- Prepare Aromatics: Mince the green onions, remove stems and finely mince shiitake mushroom caps, grate ginger including its juice, and mince or press garlic cloves.
- Make Filling Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, green onions, shiitake mushrooms, sesame oil, soy sauce, black pepper, ginger, and garlic. Mix well and knead until the mixture is sticky and pale.
- Add Cabbage to Filling: Squeeze excess moisture from the cabbage and add it to the meat mixture. Knead again until everything is evenly combined.
- Prepare Wrappers: Have a small bowl of water ready for sealing and lay out a baking sheet lined with parchment or lightly dusted with starch to place filled gyoza. Keep wrappers covered to prevent drying.
- Fill and Fold Gyoza: Place a wrapper in your palm, add about 1 Tbsp filling, flatten it slightly, and remove air pockets. Moisten wrapper edge with water, fold in half, pinch center, and pleat sides towards the center to seal. Shape with a flat bottom and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover to keep moist and repeat.
- Heat Pan and Arrange Gyoza: Warm a frying pan over medium heat and add neutral oil. Place gyoza flat side down in a single layer.
- Pan Fry Bottoms: Cook until gyoza bottoms turn golden brown, approximately 3 minutes.
- Steam Gyoza: Add water to the pan and quickly cover, allowing gyoza to steam for about 3 minutes until most of the water evaporates.
- Finish Crispy Bottoms: Remove the lid, drizzle toasted sesame oil around the pan, and continue cooking until the gyoza bottoms become crisp again.
- Serve: Transfer cooked gyoza to a plate, repeat cooking with remaining gyoza, and serve hot with rice vinegar or soy sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Use Diamond Crystal kosher salt or adjust quantity if using other types of salt, as measurement differs by salt type.
- Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying while folding gyoza.
- Do not overfill wrappers to avoid breaking during cooking.
- Ensure water added during steaming stage is enough to create steam but not too much to sog the gyoza.
- If desired, you can substitute ground chicken with ground pork or a mixture of both for more traditional flavor.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground chicken with finely chopped firm tofu or mushrooms and omit garlic if preferred.
- Serve immediately to enjoy gyoza’s crispy and tender texture at its best.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Japanese
