Japanese Gyoza (Meat Dumplings)

To prepare the Japanese meat dumplings (gyoza), start with the filling: chop the napa cabbage 2, then wash and chop the spring onion 2 and grate the ginger 3.

In a bowl, combine the chopped cabbage, ground pork 4, spring onion, and ginger 5. Add salt 6, pepper, and pour in the rice wine.

Also add the water, sesame oil 7, and soy sauce. Mix with your hands 8, or with a spoon, until you obtain a homogeneous mixture 9. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for an hour, covering the bowl with plastic wrap.

Meanwhile, prepare the dough: in a bowl, place the flour and a pinch of salt 10, then gradually pour in the water 11, stirring with a spoon to incorporate it 12.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface 13 and knead by hand until you get a smooth and elastic dough ball 14. Let it rest for 30 minutes in a cool place, wrapped in plastic wrap. After the resting time, retrieve the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured work surface 15.

You need to obtain a sheet 1/16 inch thick 16. At this point, cut out circles with a 3-inch diameter cookie cutter 17. You can re-knead the scraps to form more dumplings. Fill each circle with a spoonful of filling 18.

Fold the circle in half 19, then pinch the dough along the entire edge, forming small pleats 20 to close and seal the dumpling 21.

As they take shape, place the gyoza on a tray lined with parchment paper 22. With this quantity, you will get about 28 dumplings. Proceed to cook: pour a drizzle of vegetable oil into a pan, place the dumplings spacing them a little to avoid sticking during cooking 23. Let them brown on high heat, just enough to brown the bottom. At this point, pour water halfway up the dumpling 34.

Cover with a lid 25, lower the heat and let them cook for 10-12 minutes 26. Plate the gyoza gently with kitchen tongs 27.

Season with soy sauce 28 and chopped spring onion to taste 29. Serve your homemade Japanese meat dumplings (gyoza) immediately 30!