Alright, so today I got this idea in my head to make some gyoza, you know, the dim sum kind. Been craving them for a while, and figured, why not try making them myself? Saves a trip and honestly, sometimes homemade just hits different.
Getting Started – The Filling
First thing, had to get the ingredients together. Went down to the store, grabbed some ground pork – not too lean, you need a bit of fat for flavour. Also picked up some fresh napa cabbage and a bunch of garlic chives. Gotta have those chives. And of course, ginger and garlic are essential, always have those on hand anyway.
Back home, I started chopping. Minced the garlic and ginger up real fine. For the cabbage, I chopped it small, then salted it a bit in a bowl. Let it sit for maybe 15 minutes? This pulls the water out so your filling isn’t soggy. Squeezed all that water out good. Chopped the garlic chives too.
Then, into a big bowl went the ground pork. Added the squeezed cabbage, the chives, minced ginger, and garlic. For seasoning, I didn’t measure much, just went by feel. A good splash of soy sauce, some sesame oil for that nutty smell, a little bit of salt, and some white pepper. Got my hands in there and mixed it all up thoroughly. Really gotta combine it well so the flavours meld. Covered the bowl and stuck it in the fridge for maybe 30 minutes, just to let things settle.
Wrapping Time
Okay, the wrapping part. I just used store-bought gyoza wrappers. Makes life easier, honestly. Pulled the filling out of the fridge. Set up my little station: wrappers, small bowl of water, the filling, and a baking sheet dusted with flour for the finished ones.
Now, I’m no expert wrapper. Took one wrapper, put a small spoonful of filling in the center. Dipped my finger in water and wet half the edge of the wrapper. Folded it over into a half-moon shape. Then the pleating… yeah, that took some practice. Tried to make those little folds along one edge, pressing them against the flat edge. My first few looked a bit wonky, not gonna lie. But you get into a rhythm. Made pleat after pleat, sealing it tight. Ended up with a whole tray of them. They don’t have to be perfect, just sealed so the good stuff doesn’t fall out during cooking.
Cooking Them Up
Time for the best part – cooking! I like them pan-fried with that crispy bottom.
- Got my non-stick pan, added a bit of oil, and heated it over medium heat.
- Placed the gyoza in the pan, flat side down. Let them fry for a few minutes until the bottoms got nice and golden brown. You gotta watch ’em so they don’t burn.
- Then, the steam part. Poured in about half a cup of water – enough to cover the bottom of the pan. It sizzled like crazy. Quickly slapped a lid on it.
- Turned the heat down to medium-low and let them steam for about 5-7 minutes. Until the wrappers looked translucent and the filling was cooked through.
- Took the lid off. Let any remaining water evaporate. Sometimes I add a tiny drizzle more sesame oil at the end just before they come out, for extra flavour and crispiness.
Slid them out onto a plate, crispy bottoms up. Whipped up a quick dipping sauce – just soy sauce, a bit of rice vinegar, and a few drops of chili oil.
And that was it! Sat down and enjoyed them while they were hot. Seriously satisfying to make these yourself. They weren’t restaurant-perfect looking, but they tasted fantastic. Definitely doing this again soon.