Pork, Chilli and Lotus Root Gyoza

Spicy and Juicy.

This is a tribute to Tokyo’s Gyoza King, Paradise Yamamoto. Chop your own pork belly. Fatty and chunky cuts will amp up and juiciness and make these gyozas rich in a way that mince just can’t. The chill adds bite. And the lotus root gives some soft crunch.

For 30 pieces - serves 4 as a meal, 6 as a decent snack

Ingredients
1 packet (about 30 sheets) gyoza wrappers (gow gee wrappers are fine)
Sesame oil, for frying
300ml water, for steaming

Filling
400g chopped pork belly (mince is fine too)
50g, or around 10 slices, lotus root (you can substitute celery)
1 tablespoon shoaxing rice wine or cooking sake
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon miso paste - use white (しろ白) miso or try miso soup paste
1 teaspoons ginger, finely grated or minced
2 small chillis, very finely sliced
Big pinches of salt and pepper

Sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoons sesame oil
Pinch of salt
(optional add in - white part of a shallot, ginger, chilli oil, minced garlic)

Method

For the filling

1. In a large bowl, combine the pork with the lotus root, chilli, miso paste, ginger, salt, pepper, sesame oil and rice wine/sake.

2. Knead the pork mix with your hands until it absorbs the seasoning.

To wrap the gyoza in a classic crescent shape…

1. Lay 2-3 wrappers on a board. Cover the remaining wrappers with a wet tea towel so they don’t dry out.

2. Add a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper.

3. Fill a small bowl with water. Dip fingers in water and wet the edges of the wrapper.

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

5. Pinch it at one end (I’m right handed, so I start from the left).

6. Use your index fingers to make a S-shaped pleat. Press down and seal the pleat.

7. Continue pleating to the other end. The near side should be flat and the far side pleated. Make sure it’s well-sealed with no air bubbles.

8. 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.

   See ‘Wrap it’ link below for photo and options.

To pan-fry the gyoza…

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

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

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

4. After the oil, pour in some boiled water (no more than 1/3 cup at a time) 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.

7. Use a spatular to turn out the gyoza with their crispy base facing up.

Combine the sauce ingredients and serve!