Originating in China where they’re known as Jiaozi (饺子), gyoza along with other imports such as Ramen, Shumai, Karé Ràisu (Japanese Curry), and Hambaagu have found their way into the eclectic pantheon of Japanese cuisine and there are thousands of restaurants that specialize in these delectable dumplings. With so many gyoza shops, most places try to diversify their menu by adding different fillings from scallops and shrimp to cheese and corn. While I’m generally a fan of the classic, with pork, cabbage and garlic chives, there is one exception. When I was visiting Japan a number of years ago, I happened upon a gyoza stall in a Ginza department store that was selling gyoza filled with kurobuta (berkshire pork) and aōjiso (green shiso). This wasn’t some novelty flavor cooked up to sell more dumplings, it was genuinely good! Shiso is a subspecies of Perilla and joins Basil as a member of the mint family. You may be used to seeing the large saw-toothed leaf garnishing a platter of sushi, but it’s a fantastic herb that has a unique green flavor and a subtle menthol bite. This makes it the perfect accent for the rich porky filling and provides a visually pleasing glow through the semi-translucent wrapper. Unike most dumplings, gyoza are both steamed and fried. This gives them a Jekyl and Hyde texture that captures the best of both worlds. The sublime combination of a crispy bottom with a tender noodle-like wrapper is achieved by frying, steaming, and then frying gyoza again. It might sound complicated, but there are no kitchen acrobatics required here. Just start the pot stickers off on a hot pan with a little oil, hit it with some water and steam, then, as the water burns off, the bottom fries up golden brown and crisp. I also have an easy way to make any gyoza “winged” by using a flour and water solution. Speaking of “pot sticking”, there’s a good reason why gyoza are known as potstickers in English. If you don’t use a non-stick pan (or a well seasoned cat iron pan), you’re practically guaranteed to have the best part of the wrappers permanently bonded to your pan. So for the sake of your dumplings (and your pan), please be sure to use a non-stick pan. If you’re vegetarian, or just don’t eat pork, you can also add shiso when making my vegan gyoza. If you can’t find shiso in your area, or want to roll old school, these dumplings are pretty darned delicious without it. I’ve included a basic sauce recipe below, but if you want something a little different I also have a Miso Gyoza Sauce recipe as well as a spicy dipping sauce on the same page.
📖 Recipe
