Gyoza dumplings

These can be panfried, steamed or boiled.  Freeze the extras for another day!

printer-friendly recipe

yield: 180

Ingredients:

Round dumpling wrappers – 180 wrappers is about 2 ½ lb.

½ medium napa cabbage (also known as suey choy) – about 1 lb.

1 tablespoon salt

2 lb. ground pork (or ground chicken, firm tofu cut into ¼” pieces)

3 shitake mushrooms (optional) – rehydrated and chopped finely

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced – about 1 cup

3 tablespoons soya sauce

3 tablespoons sesame oil

½ teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper)

3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

Method:

Finely slice napa cabbage and put into large colander.  Add salt and mix well using your hands.  Set aside for 10 minutes over a bowl or in your kitchen sink.  Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the napa cabbage.

Put into a large bowl.  Add all remaining ingredients and combine well.

Set up your dumpling-making area.  Clean your counter and arrange with a small bowl of water, the cabbage mixture, a package of dumpling wrappers, and a parchment-lined baking pan (to hold the completed dumplings).

To make dumplings, put 1 tablespoon of the cabbage filling onto your wrapper.  Using your finger, dab a bit of water around the edge of the dumpling wrapper (to help seal the dumpling).  You can simply fold the wrapper in half over the filling, or you can make pleats.  Place completed dumplings on your pan.

Cook or freeze your dumplings.  You can cook them immediately, or freeze them on your baking sheet.  Once they are frozen solid, you can put them into plastic containers or into Ziploc bags and freeze for up to three months.

To cook:

Add about a tablespoon of oil into a hot frying pan.  Arrange a layer of dumplings into the pan.  Cook until the bottoms are golden brown.

Add around 3 tablespoons of water to the frying pan.  Cover the pan with a lid, and lower the heat.  Cook the dumplings for 3 to 5 minutes if the dumplings are fresh, or 6 to 8 minutes if they are frozen.  The “noodle wrapper” will be translucent, and the meat will be cooked through when they are done.

Serve with soya sauce or a dipping sauce that’s a combination of soya sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sesame oil, and thinly sliced green onions.

Enjoy!

Other ways to enjoy your dumplings:

• You can steam your dumplings for about 6 minutes (if fresh) or 8 minutes (if frozen).  

• You can also boil them in a large pot of water until they float to the top.

Leftover filling can be made into meatballs or patties.  

Leftover wrappers can be used as noodles, or as a wrapper for another filling.