Gyoza is a Japanese version of jiaozi (originated from China) and a new addition to the family of dumplings. It is different from the other dumplings by its cooking techniques. So overall gyoza are dumplings made up of thin wrappers and filled with a mixture of very finely chopped vegetables or ground meat. The typical Japanese recipes for the mixture are ground pork (sometimes chicken can be used), cabbage, Asian chives, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil. But you can be creative at this point to make your own stuffing. The filling which I'm using in this recipe consists of finely chopped cabbage, onion, carrots, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, pepper, salt and sugar. As i said it before about the cooking technique in which, the gyoza is first fried on one flat side, making the bottom crispy and then water is added to the pan, cook it by covering the pan until the upper part of the Gyoza is steamed. The recipe here is shared by my sister, which we usually used to enjoy at home once a month. Gyoza can be accompanied with various dippings like soy sauce with a little bit of sesame oil, schezwan sauce or simply ketchup.
Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 cups maida
water to knead the dough
a pinch of salt
For the stuffing:
3 tsp oil
1 large very finely chopped onion
4 cups very finely chopped cabbage
2 cups of grated carrot
salt and black pepper to taste
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
Method:
In a heated pan add some oil. Keep the flame high and chopped onions. Saute it till it becomes soft. Add the ginger garlic paste saute for another 30 sec.
Now add the chopped cabbage and carrot. Add salt & black pepper, sugar and give it a stir. Cover it and turn the flame into medium.
Let it cook for 10-15 minutes or until the veggies get soft. Once done turn off the flame, then add the soy sauce and mix it properly. Now our filling is ready.
Moving onto the dough, take maida and a pinch of salt in a deep bottom pot and knead by adding water gradually to a soft dough. Cover it with a wet cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Now divide the dough into small balls. You should be able to get 15-16 dough balls out of it.
Now roll the balls into thin circles, approximately 2 inch in diameter and it should be nearly transparent.
Add 1 tbsp of filling into the center. Dip your finger in water and apply it around the edges and then fold it.
You can fold it using various ways. The most common way to fold it is, bring the two edges together. Using your thumb and index finger start making pleats on the upper part of the wrapper. While making the pleats, press each pleats towards the other side. Continue making the pleats until there is no wrappers to pleat.
After shaping the Gyoza keep them aside, covered with a damp cloth.
Heat up a wide pan and add just a little oil. Now place 5-6 dumplings or as much as space you have in your pan. Keep in mind that each dumplings should be separated from each other, otherwise they will stick to each other.
On a low medium flame let the dumplings cook from the bottom. After 3 minutes you can add 3-4 tbsp of water. Or simply you can take out one dumpling and check its bottom been brown then add water.
Now immediately cover the pan and let the dumplings steam for 5 minutes on a low flame.
After 5 minutes Gyoza is ready to serve. Serve hot Gyoza with your choice of condiments or sauces.
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