Japanese Gyoza (Dumplings)

This Japanese Gyoza (Dumpling) recipe comes straight from my Japanese friend’s kitchen—it’s as authentic as it gets! These dumplings are a perfect blend of juicy filling and crispy golden brown perfection. Cooked in a pan, they’re not just a dish, they’re a flavorful journey to Japan and easily one of my top Japanese favorites!

Hey there! So, as a proud Filipino, I got to confess: we tend to stick to our own delicious Filipino dishes like adobo and sotanghon, right? But let me tell you about this wild ride I hopped on when I started working in an all-Japanese ESL company. I mean, imagine talking to Japanese students every single day — it’s like a crash course in Japanese culture! Suddenly, I’m hit with this craving for Japanese cuisine. Japan’s got it all, from awesome people who are crazy about their country to an environment so clean you could eat off the streets. And let’s not forget about the food! Japanese cuisine is like a flavor adventure waiting to happen.

Now, picture this: I meet this awesome Japanese friend at work. I’m talking about someone who’s ready to dive into the world of Japanese cooking with me. So, I muster up the courage and ask if she’d teach me how to whip up those legendary Japanese gyoza. And guess what? She’s all in! They were in the kitchen, her, and her adorable 5-year-old daughter, cooking up a storm and making videos like they’re on a cooking show. These people are just incredible!

And then, bam! My first-ever dumpling experience hits me in Dumaguete, Philippines. There I am, at this rad Chinese-Japanese joint where you can actually watch the chef work her magic while you order. It’s like dinner and a show, Filipino style! Man, talk about an unforgettable experience.

So, there you have it — my journey from adobo aficionado to gyoza guru, all thanks to the amazing people and flavors of Japan. It’s been one tasty adventure, and I’m just getting started!

Japanese Dumplings

5.0 from 2 votes

Course: Main, AppetizersCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Difficult

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

• 1 stalk 1 leek or napa cabbage

• 1/4 tbs 1/4 salt

• 1 tbs 1 potato starch

• 500 grams 500 (minced) ground pork

• 6 cloves 6 garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tbs 1 soy sauce

• 2 tbs 2 sesame oil or cooking oil

• 25 pieces 25 gyoza skins

• Dipping sauce

• Soy sauce

• Rice wine vinegar

• Chili oil

Directions

• Filling
• Put chopped napa cabbage and salt in a bowl, then mix.
• Add potato starch and mix again
• Add the ground pork to the bowl.
• Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and soy sauce, and mix until well combined.
• (Prepare a glass of water.) Place one gyoza wrapper on your palm and dip your finger in the water, then run it around the edge of half the gyoza wrapper for easy sealing.
• Place 1 tbsp of filling onto the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over and use your other hand to make pleats. Press to seal tightly and place on the tray. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
• Frying
• Heat a frying pan and add sesame oil or cooking oil. Place the gyoza in the pan and fry until lightly browned.
• Once lightly browned, add 100 cc of water, cover, and steam for about 10 minutes.
• Remove the lid to allow the water to evaporate, then serve.
• Dipping Sauce
• Add equal portions of soy sauce and vinegar with a generous splash of chili oil.

Recipe Video

Notes

• For authentic flavor, use garlic chives in your gyoza filling. If unavailable, you can substitute with normal chives or the green part of shallots/scallions plus a clove of garlic. While the flavor won’t be exactly the same, it will be pretty similar.
• Round wonton wrappers, also known as Gyoza wrappers, can be found in the refrigerator section of supermarkets like landers and SM, usually near noodles and tofu. They typically come in packs of 30.
• Freezing gyoza: Place raw gyoza in an airtight container in a single layer and top with cling wrap for extra airtightness. To cook from frozen, use the same method but add a splash of extra water and cook for 2 minutes longer. Refrigeration follows a similar process but won’t require longer cook time or extra water.
• Mix the ground meat and finely chopped cabbage so that the meat does not get warm.
• You can also use celery or leek as an alternative for napa cabbage.