Gyoza（Japanese potstickers, 餃子）

Gyoza is a very popular dish to eat in Japan. Especially, Japanese people eat Gyoza as a side dish with Ramen noodles at Ramen restaurants. Gyoza is originally from China. Apparently, the first person who ate Gyoza in Japan was Mitsukuni Tokugawa. Mitsukuni Tokugawa was a daimyo (powerful Japanese feudal lords) in the politics of the early Edo period and known as Mito Komon. When I was small and in Japan, I watched the TV series of Mito Komon. He was portrayed as a hero who was always against the evil people and powers. Shunsui Shu who was the scholar of Confucianism from China introduced Gyoza to Mitsukuni Tokugawa in Edo period.
I will introduce 2 different shapes of Gyoza (one is traditional shape, the other is stick shape) to make at home easily.

Ingredients (For 2 plates):

• 100g (0.22 LBS) of ground pork
• 2 big leaves of cabbage
• 1 Chinese chive (Nira) or green onion (I used green onion this time)
• 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
• 1 clove of grated garlic
• 1 teaspoon of salt & pepper
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 8 Gyoza wrappers or egg roll wrappers (I used egg roll wrappers this time) -> See picture A & B.
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• water (about half height of Gyoza)

For Gyoza dipping sauce

• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of *Rayu -> See picture C.

*Rayu is a Japanese chili oil and a condiment for Gyoza and Ramen.
I used “Taberu Rayu” which means “Rayu for eating” in Japanese and contains fried garlic, onion, sesame seeds and so on this time.

Here is how to make it at home. Cooking time is about 50 minutes - 1 hour.

1. Mince cabbage and green onion. Put cabbage, green onion and ground pork in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly by hands with gloves on. -> See pictures D & E.

2. Add ginger, garlic, salt & pepper and sesame oil, and mix thoroughly. -> See pictures F & G.

3. For traditional Gyoza, put egg roll wrappers on a large cutting board. Put a small plate upside down on an egg roll wrapper, trace and cut the wrapper as a circle by a knife -> See pictures H & I. Repeat it for 4 wrappers. (If you use Gyoza wrappers, you don’t have to do this step.)

4. Put a Gyoza wrapper or egg roll wrapper on your hand and put little ingredients from step 2. on top as shown in the picture. Put little water on top and a half side of the wrapper. -> See picture J.

5. Fold the bottom side of the wrapper with top side of the wrapper and fold the ends of the Gyoza in as shown in the picture. Repeat it for 4 Gyoza. -> See picture K.

6. For stick Gyoza (棒餃子, Bou Gyoza in Japanese), put another egg roll wrapper on the cutting board and put ingredients from step 2 on top as shown in the picture. -> See picture L.

7. Fold right and left sides of the wrapper as shown in the picture. -> See picture M.

8. Put little water on the top edge of the wrapper as shown in the picture and roll the wrapper. -> See pictures N & O.

9. Preheat the vegetable oil in a frying pan with medium heat. Put Gyoza and stir for 2-5 minutes or until the bottom side is little brown. -> See picture P.

10. Add water (until it fills half height of Gyoza) in the frying pan. Simmer with a lid for 5-10 minutes. -> See pictures Q & R.

11. Remove the lid. Simmer another 5-10 minutes with high heat or until water is fully evaporated and Gyoza is crispy. Remove from heat. -> See pictures S & T.

12. Serve Gyoza on plates. Put soy sauce, vinegar and *Rayu in small plates and mix them up. When you eat Gyoza, dip them in the sauce.