Hamamatsu Gyoza (Pan-fried Dumplings with Bean Sprouts)

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

12 gyoza wrappers

180g pork mince

1 leaf (20g) of wombok or Chinese cabbage, minced

1 spring onion, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

2cm knob of ginger, minced

60g bean shoots

2 tsp Japanese soy sauce

1 tsp cooking sake

1 tsp vegetable oil

¼ tsp sesame oil

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar

100ml water

2 tsp plain flour

Dipping Sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp brown rice vinegar

1 tsp rayu (Japanese chilli oil)

Method

In a mixing bowl, combine the pork mince, wombok, spring onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, cooking sake, one teaspoon of vegetable oil, sesame oil, salt and sugar. Mix well to thoroughly incorporate.

Mix together the dipping sauce ingredients in a small sauce bowl.

Prepare a small bowl of cold water to use to seal the gyoza as you form them. Place about a tablespoon of the mince mixture into the centre of one gyoza wrapper. Swipe the edges of the gyoza water with a few drops of water, fold the wrapper in half but do not join the edges yet. Pleat one half of the wrapper using the index and thumb of your right hand, and pinch the folds closed with the index finger and thumb of your left hand, moving from one end of the gyoza to the other until the whole side has been sealed.

Prepare a small saucepan of boiling water.

Mix together 100ml of water and 2 tsp of plain flour.

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Add in a tsp of oil and arrange the gyoza in the pan in a spiral shape. Fry the gyoza gently until they’re golden brown on one side.

Add the flour and water mixture into the pan and immediately cover it with a lid. Steam the gyoza in the pan, lid-on for 7 minutes. Remove the lid, if there is still lots of water remaining inside the pan, allow it to evaporate. When the water has almost fully evaporated, reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking until the flour mixture at the base of the pan begins to turn golden brown. Invert the gyoza from the pan onto a plate so that the fried side is facing up.

Place the bean shoots in the boiling water for 1 minute. Drain them afterwards.

Garnish the plate of fried gyoza with a pile of boiled bean shoots placed in the centre of the plate. Serve with the dipping sauce.