gyoza

Namiko Hirasawa Chen’s gyoza are Japanese pan-fried dumplings with pork and cabbage filling. This account selects her shiitake-and-scallion version, served with a complete soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

Finely chopped cabbage is salted until wilted and squeezed. Pork, minced shiitake caps, scallion, ginger, garlic and seasonings are kneaded until sticky, with sake retaining its optional status before the cabbage is mixed in.

A spoonful of filling goes into each supplied wrapper. Water moistens the edge, pleats lean toward the centre on both sides, and the sealed dumpling is shaped with a flat base.

The bases brown in neutral oil before water is added and the pan covered for steaming. After the lid is removed and the water evaporates, a separate portion of toasted sesame oil helps crisp the bottoms.

The dumplings are plated with soy sauce and unseasoned rice vinegar mixed for each dipping portion. Supplied Japanese chilli oil is optional; other fillings and the miso-dip variation remain separate.