Gyoza

Gyoza are Japanese dumplings that can be filled in different ways, but one of the most common fillings is meat and vegetables. Here is a version of gyoza with a small Italian touch, using some ingredients typical of our cuisine.

Ingredients for about 20-25 gyoza:

For the dough:

• 200 g of type 00 flour
• 100 ml of hot water
• A pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 200 g of ground pork
• 150 g of Chinese cabbage (or savoy cabbage), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (Italian touch)
• 2 fresh spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of dry white wine (Italian addition)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional for the Italian touch:

• A pinch of chopped chili pepper
• 1 tablespoon of grated Grana cheese or Parmesan (to enhance the flavor)

Preparation

1. To prepare the dough, mix the flour with the salt and gradually add the hot water, kneading until you have a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, prepare the filling by combining the pork with the Chinese cabbage, spring onions, garlic, ginger, extra virgin olive oil, soy sauce, and white wine. Add salt, pepper, chili pepper, and grated cheese if you desire an additional Italian touch. Mix everything well.
3. Divide the dough into small portions, forming small balls. Roll out each ball with a rolling pin to obtain thin discs.
4. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each disc, close into a half-moon shape pinching the edges to seal well.
5. Cook the gyoza in a non-stick pan with a drizzle of oil: arrange them in the pan and add water up to about one third of the height of the gyoza. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-high heat for about 7-8 minutes, until all the water has evaporated, and you get a crispy base.
6. Serve hot with soy sauce diluted with a little sesame oil and, if you like, a bit of rice vinegar.

Curiosity

In Japan, gyoza are a popular dish often consumed in izakayas (typical Japanese pubs) and were imported from China after World War II, adapting the Chinese recipe of jiaozi to Japanese cuisine. Their popularity has exploded to such an extent that many regional variants have been born, some of which include less traditional ingredients, just as we have done here with some Italian touches.