Gyoza (餃子) — Japanese Pan-Fried Dumplings

• 250 ggreen cabbage (finely chopped)
• 0.75 tspfine sea salt (for drawing moisture from the cabbage)
• 300 gground pork (20% fat gives the juiciest texture)
• 2 clovegarlic (finely grated)
• 1 inchfresh ginger (peeled and finely grated)
• 60 ggarlic chives (nira, finely sliced)
• 2scallions (finely sliced)
• 1.5 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspsake
• 2 tsptoasted sesame oil
• 2 tsppotato starch
• 0.25 tspground white pepper
• 30round gyoza wrappers (about 9 cm diameter)
• 60 mlwater (for sealing wrappers)
• 2 tbspneutral oil (divided between batches)
• 120 mlboiling water (60 ml per batch)
• 3 tbsprice vinegar
• 1 tsprayu chili oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the chopped cabbage in a bowl and mix it with 0.75 tsp fine sea salt. Let it stand for 10 minutes, then squeeze it firmly in a clean towel until the cabbage feels damp rather than wet.

2. 2

   Put the ground pork in a mixing bowl and stir it vigorously in one direction for 2 minutes until sticky and slightly elastic. This develops the protein structure that helps the filling hold together and stay juicy.

3. 3

   Add the squeezed cabbage, garlic, ginger, garlic chives, scallions, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, potato starch, and white pepper to the pork. Mix in one direction for another 2 minutes, then refrigerate the filling for 15 minutes so it firms up for wrapping.

4. 4

   Set a wrapper on your palm and place 2 tsp of filling in the center. Moisten the edge with water, fold the wrapper in half, and pleat only the front edge 5 to 6 times while pressing it against the flat back edge to seal tightly.

5. 5

   Stand each dumpling seam-side up on a tray lined with parchment paper, pressing lightly so the bottom is flat. Cover the shaped gyoza with a barely damp kitchen towel while you finish the rest so the wrappers do not dry out.

6. 6

   Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a nonstick or well-seasoned carbon-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange 15 gyoza flat-side down in a tight single layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottoms are clearly golden brown.

7. 7

   Carefully pour 60 ml boiling water around the dumplings, immediately cover the pan, and steam for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until the water has evaporated and the bottoms sizzle again.

8. 8

   Drizzle 0.5 tsp toasted sesame oil around the edge of the pan and cook for 30 seconds to re-crisp the bases. Invert the gyoza onto a plate or lift them out with a spatula, then repeat the same sear-steam-crisp method with the second batch.

9. 9

   Stir together 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, and 1 tsp rayu chili oil in a small bowl. Serve the gyoza immediately while the bottoms are crisp and the tops are still tender and steamy.