Japanese Gyoza: Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings You Can Freeze for After-School Snacks

Toss the chopped cabbage with the salt and let it sit 10 minutes, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can with your hands.

Serves 6 (about 40 gyoza)

Ingredients

• 2 cups (200g) napa cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt, for the cabbage
• 1 lb (450g) ground pork
• 4 scallions, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sake or dry sherry
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 40 round gyoza wrappers
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce and chili oil, for dipping

Instructions

1. Toss the chopped cabbage with the salt and let it sit 10 minutes, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can with your hands.
2. In a bowl, combine the pork, squeezed cabbage, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, sugar and white pepper. Mix vigorously with your hand for 2 minutes until sticky.
3. Place a wrapper in your palm and spoon 2 teaspoons of filling into the center. Wet the edge with water, fold in half and pleat one side 4 or 5 times, pressing to seal.
4. To freeze, arrange the gyoza on a parchment-lined tray without touching, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. Cook straight from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the steaming time.
5. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the gyoza flat-side down in a circle and fry 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms are golden.
6. Pour in 1/3 cup water, cover immediately and steam 4 to 5 minutes until the wrappers turn translucent and the filling is cooked through.
7. Uncover and cook 1 more minute to crisp the bottoms again. Slide onto a plate crispy-side up.
8. Stir together the rice vinegar, soy sauce and a few drops of chili oil for dipping and serve hot.
9. Gyoza arrived in Japan in the 1940s, adapted from the jiaozi that soldiers had eaten in northern China, and the Japanese version became thinner-skinned, garlicky and crisped on one side in a technique called yaki-gyoza. In Japan they are the classic companion to ramen and a beloved home-kitchen project where the whole family pleats together. A freezer stocked with homemade gyoza means a hot, savory after-school snack is only seven minutes away.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 330 kcal
• Protein: 17g
• Fat: 15g
• Carbohydrates: 31g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 690mg