Japanese Gyoza Pot Stickers

Crispy on the bottom, tender and steamed on top. That contrast is what makes gyoza irresistible, and the pan-fry-then-steam technique is what gets you there.

Ground beef, finely chopped cabbage, rehydrated dried mushrooms, scallions, and fresh grated ginger get seasoned with soy sauce, cooking wine, and sesame oil, then wrapped in thin gyoza skins and pleated shut.

Blanching the cabbage with boiling water and squeezing it dry is the make-or-break step. Raw cabbage releases water during cooking and makes the filling soggy. Blanched and wrung-out cabbage stays compact and the wrappers stay intact.

Fry them golden in oil, then pour water into the edge of the pan and cover. The steam finishes cooking the filling while the bottoms stay crisp.

Chef Tips

• Use about a teaspoon of filling per wrapper. Overstuffed gyoza burst open during cooking.
• Pack them close together in the skillet. Shoulder-to-shoulder gyoza support each other and stay upright.
• The water should come about a quarter of the way up the pot stickers. Too much and the bottoms lose their crunch.
• The dipping sauce ratio of 10:1 soy to chili sesame oil is a good starting point. Adjust to your heat tolerance.

Variations

• Pork gyoza: Use ground pork instead of beef for a more traditional Japanese filling.
• Vegetarian: Skip the meat and double the cabbage and mushrooms, adding firm tofu crumbled into the mix.