Japanese Vegetable Gyoza (Dumplings)

Biff's Tips

• Keep the filling dry, not wet. Finely chopped cabbage and a quick mix stop soggy gyoza and help them crisp properly.
• Don't overfill. A heaped teaspoon is plenty and makes sealing quicker, with no blowouts.
• Get creative. Fill them with anything you love, as long as it's dry and finely diced.

Let's Dive In!

Step 1: Gyoza wrappers

Put 250g plain flour and 2 tsp spinach powder (optional, but it turns them green) in a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in 130ml just-boiled water, mixing with a fork or chopsticks until it comes together. Knead for 5–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then cover with a tea towel and rest for 30–40 minutes while you make the filling.

Roll the dough out thinly and cut into small rounds, dusting with cornflour to stop them sticking. A pasta machine gives you an even thickness if you have one. Keep covered until ready to fill.

Step 2: The filling

Roughly chop 200g white cabbage, 100g mushrooms, 100g carrot, 2 spring onions, 2 garlic cloves and 10g fresh ginger. Pulse in a food processor until finely chopped but not puréed.

Tip into a bowl and season with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, ½ tsp sugar and ¼ tsp white pepper. Drizzle over 1 tbsp neutral oil and mix until glossy and holding together. You don't want it wet!

Step 3: Fold the gyoza

1. Place a small spoonful of filling in the centre of a wrapper.
2. Lightly wet the edge with water.
3. Fold in half and pinch together in the middle.
4. From the centre, make 3–4 small pleats on one side, pressing them firmly against the back, then repeat on the other side.
5. Pinch tightly to seal and gently flatten the base so it sits flat.

As long as the air is out and they're pinched tight, they'll be fine when cooked.

Step 4: Fry & steam

Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the gyoza flat-side down and fry until the bases are golden and crisp. Carefully pour in about 60ml water, cover straight away and steam until the water has evaporated. Take the lid off and let the bases crisp up again.

Step 5: Serve

Serve hot with a simple soy dipping sauce, or go BK food-truck style: drizzle with tonkatsu sauce, mayonnaise and chilli crisp, then finish with sliced spring onions.

Gyoza FAQs

• Can I use shop-bought wrappers? Yes. Find them in the freezer section of Asian supermarkets to save time.
• Can I freeze gyoza? Yes. Freeze them uncooked on a tray, then bag up. Cook from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes of steaming.
• Are these gyoza vegan? The dumplings are. Use a vegan mayo for the topping.

Make it a Japanese night with my chicken katsu curry and miso honey roasted aubergine.

BIFF, BOSH, NOSH!