Chicken gyozas: Japanese chicken and vegetable dumplings

Prepare gyozas at home is much easier than it seems, and the result is an authentic delight. These small Japanese dumplings combine the best of both worlds: a thin, soft dough on the outside, with a juicy, flavorful filling on the inside. Today I'll show you how to make chicken gyozas, a simple and very forgiving version you can make with ingredients you probably already have at home.

The meat gyozas, especially the chicken ones, have that savory but light touch that everyone likes. Ginger, soy sauce, and the vegetables bring aroma and freshness, and the final crunchy touch when you brown them in the pan makes them irresistible. You don't need to be an expert: with a little practice, you quickly get the hang of it.

I like to make them in a steel or nonstick pan, first steamed and then with a golden crust on one side (that's why I finish them in the iron skillet). That contrast between tender and crispy is what makes them so special. Also, they look beautiful on the table, and if you serve them with a mild soy sauce or a little sesame oil, they won't last a minute.

If you've never made them, this is a good occasion to try. You'll see that making homemade gyozas is somewhat entertaining and relaxing, and the result is worth it. I encourage you to try this chicken gyoza recipe — one of those recipes that, once you make it, you'll definitely repeat.

Ingredients:

For the gyoza dough:

• 250 g of flour
• 130 g of water
• 2 g of salt
• ½ teaspoon (of salt or depending on context, can be omitted if already counted above)
  

For the filling:

• 250 g of chicken fillets
• 1 carrot
• 1 small cauliflower floret
• 1 white spring onion with stalk
• 2 cm of fresh ginger
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 ½ tablespoons of light salty soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• Salt and pepper

To finish and present the dish:

• 2 tablespoons of rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 3-4 chive stalks
• ½ teaspoon of toasted sesame

Preparation:

Preparing the gyoza dough:

1. Mix the flour, water and 2 g of salt in a bowl. Knead by hand for 5 minutes.
2. Form a ball, cover it with plastic wrap in direct contact and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preparing the filling

1. Dice the chicken, carrot, cauliflower and white spring onion into small brunoise pieces. Set aside in a large bowl.
2. Grate the peeled ginger and garlic, and add them to the bowl.
3. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Mix well until you get a homogeneous filling.

Shaping and cooking the gyozas

1. Make two dough rolls about 1.5 cm in diameter.
2. Cut each roll into 1.5 cm portions.
3. Flatten each piece of dough with your hand and roll it out with a rolling pin until you get a very thin disk, about 1 mm thick (more or less).
4. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each disk. Moisten the edge with a little water, fold the dough and seal the edges to form the gyozas.
5. Repeat the process until all the dough is used.

Cooking

First cooking (steamed or with gentle steam):

1. Use a nonstick pan, a stainless steel one or a steamer. Place the gyozas in the hot pan with a splash of oil.
2. Add half a glass of water, cover and cook until the water has completely evaporated.
3. Let cool slightly or keep warm.

Second cooking (to brown and crisp)

1. Just before serving, heat your sartén de acero Mineral with a little oil.
2. When it's hot, place the precooked gyozas and let them brown on one side without moving them, until they are crispy.