Gyoza dumplings filled with pork and cabbage

For the gyoza, first prepare the filling. Chop the napa cabbage as finely as possible, mix it with a pinch of salt, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cabbage to a cloth and squeeze out the excess water thoroughly so the filling is not runny.

Put the ground pork, squeezed cabbage, chopped spring onion, grated ginger, and pressed garlic into a bowl. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and a pinch of salt. Mix the filling thoroughly in one direction until it starts to feel sticky and comes together into a cohesive mass.

Mix the flour with a pinch of salt and gradually pour in lukewarm water. Work it into a smooth, elastic dough and knead it for about 8 minutes. Wrap it in foil and let it rest for 30 minutes so it softens and rolls out easily.

Divide the rested dough into smaller pieces and roll each one into a thin round about 8 centimeters across. You can also cut out circles with a glass. Keep the rounds covered so they do not dry out in the air.

Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each round. Brush the edges with water, fold over the filling into a half-moon, and seal. Pleat one side gradually into small folds and press it to the other side so the dumplings hold their shape and stand on a flat bottom.

Heat a little oil in a pan and arrange the dumplings bottom side down. Fry them for 2 minutes until the bottom turns golden and crisp. Do not move them, so a nice golden crust can form.

Carefully add water to the fried dumplings so it reaches about one third of their height, and cover with a lid right away. Steam for 6 minutes until the water evaporates and the dough cooks through until tender. Finally, remove the lid and let the bottom crisp up again.

Meanwhile, mix the dip from soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chilli oil, and sweeten it with a pinch of sugar to taste. Serve the finished gyoza hot, fried side up, with the dip and the remaining spring onion.