Gyoza Dumpling Technique Yaki-Gyoza and Sui-Gyoza

Ingredients

• For the filling
• 350 g napa cabbage, finely shredded, salted and wrung dry
• 150 g ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• For the wrappers
• 24 sheets Japanese gyoza skins, thin, round — filling visible through dough when stretched
• For the hane slurry
• 60 ml water
• 1 tbsp plain flour, whisked into the water until smooth
• For frying
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, for the pan
• For the dipping sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• ½ tsp la-yu chilli oil

Method

1. 1
   Salt the shredded napa cabbage, allow it to stand until moisture is drawn out, then wring it thoroughly in a clean cloth until the mass is as dry as possible. The cabbage should yield no further liquid when squeezed hard — any residual moisture will steam the filling from within and produce a soggy gyoza.
2. 2
   Combine the wrung cabbage, ground pork, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and oyster sauce. Work the mixture until cohesive and uniformly seasoned. The filling should hold its shape when pinched; it must not be wet or slack.
3. 3
   Place a gyoza skin flat in the palm. Set a scant teaspoon of filling at the centre. Moisten the rim with water. Fold the skin into a crescent and seal with a single crimp or a series of traditional pleats along the top edge, pressing firmly so no air is trapped. The sealed edge must be tight enough that the gyoza holds its shape when placed flat-side down. Rest the assembled gyoza uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes; the wrapper surface will dry slightly, giving a better sear.
4. 4
   Heat the neutral oil in a wide, lidded frying pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the gyoza flat-side down without crowding. Sear undisturbed until the bases are an even, deep gold — this is where the dish lives or dies: the initial crust must be fully set before any moisture enters the pan, or it will never recover its crispness. Lift one gyoza to check: the flat face should be uniformly amber with no pale patches.
5. 5
   Pour the flour-water slurry evenly over the gyoza and cover the pan immediately. Steam over medium heat for 4 minutes. Do not lift the lid; premature uncovering collapses the steam and undercooks the tops.
6. 6
   Remove the lid. Continue cooking until all remaining liquid evaporates and the flour slurry has reduced to a thin, transparent, crackling sheet — the hane skirt — connecting the gyoza. The sound shifts from a wet sizzle to a dry, sharp crackle. The skirt is done when it releases cleanly from the pan and is uniformly crisp.
7. 7
   Invert the pan over a plate so the gyoza arrive crispy-side up with the hane skirt intact, or slide onto a plate preserving the sheet. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, and la-yu in the ratio 2:1:0.5 and serve alongside.