Oktoberfest Gyoza

Bratwurst, fennel and cabbage. Das ist alles. 🥟🍺🇩🇪

Echt lecker! (German for ‘oishii’). Serve with tomato sauce, mustard and red cabbage. And beer. This one is certain to catch on in Munich.

For 30 pieces

Ingredients
30 gyoza wrappers - 1 packet (about 30 sheets) store bought gyoza wrappers (gow gee wrappers are fine) or make your own (steps at Wrap it)
Sesame oil, for frying - a tablespoon or two
300ml water, for steaming. Use just boiled water.

Filling
400g bratwurst sausage
100g cabbage, around 3/4 cup when diced (I used napa cabbage)
75g fresh fennel, about 1/2 cup when diced
Big pinches of salt and pepper

Method

For the filling…

1. Sprinkle salt on the sliced cabbage, leave it for about 15 minutes to extract liquid (so gyoza aren’t watery when cooked). Use your hands or wrap with a tea towel and squeeze out the water.

2. Very finely dice the fennel and salted cabbage.

3. Squeeze the bratwurst sausage meat out of the skins into a large bowl.

4. Combine all ingredients and mix through with your hands.

To wrap…

Remember, wet the edges of the wrappers with your fingers so the sides stick together. It’s easy.

1. Take a wrapper in one hand, fold over the filling with about 1/3 of the near side wrapper.

2. Pinch it at one end (I’m right handed, so I start from the left), use your index fingers to make a S-shaped pleat. Press down and seal.

3. Continue pleating to the other end. The near side should be flat and the far side pleated. Make sure there’s no air bubbles.

4. Place each gyoza on a floured plate or board. Push them down gently to make a flat bottom. Cover with plastic or a wet cloth.

   Wrapping photos and options at the ‘Wrap it’ link below.

To pan-fry the gyoza…

1. Heat frying pan and add sesame or any vegetable oil. Cook on a medium-high heat.

2. Add gyoza to the pan when it’s sizzling hot. Work in batches.

3. After 5 minutes or so, or when the gyoza bases are brown and crispy, sprinkle with some sesame oil.

4. After the oil, pour in some boiled water (say, 1/3 cup or 80-100ml per 10 gyoza) and cover to steam for 5 minutes or so.

5. Open the lid and cook until any remaining water evaporates.

6. Sprinkle some sesame oil. Remove from the heat when the base of the gyozas are deep brown and crispy. Amp the heat if you need to.

7. Use a spatular to turn out the gyoza with their crispy base facing up. Photos at the ‘Cook it’ link below.

Combine the sauce ingredients and serve!