Gyoza

While gyoza are a mainstay at Japanese restaurants, these Japanese dumplings are easy and fun to make at home. I have fond memories of making homemade gyoza with my mum; it’s lovely to invite friends and family to help make these pan-fried potstickers. (Give kids a defined task, like pleating the edge of the wrapper.)

To make this gyoza recipe, you’ll first salt the shaved cabbage to soften it and remove excess moisture. White cabbage is most common, but you can use any kind, including Savoy or Napa cabbage. Look for thin dumpling wrappers in your grocery store’s refrigerated or freezer section (egg roll and wonton wrappers tend to be thicker), and be sure to use dry hands when assembling so that they don’t stick together before you’re ready to seal. For the gyoza filling you can use ground pork or ground chicken—and if you can’t find garlic chives, standard chives or even green onions will do.

This dumpling recipe uses a two-part cooking technique. You’ll fry the gyoza until the bottoms are golden brown to achieve that trademark crispiness, then add about a cup of water to the pan to ensure tender wrappers and cooked-through filling. For the dipping sauce, a drop of chili oil takes things up a notch.

After assembly you can freeze the gyoza to cook later and serve as an appetizer. Arrange dumplings in a single layer on a parchment-lined pan, stash them until frozen, and then toss them into an airtight storage bag. Your future self will thank you.

Editor's note: This recipe was originally published in 'Sachie's Kitchen' and first appeared on Epicurious in September 2015.