Go for gold: mushroom and chive gyoza

Glued to the Olympics? Watching other people play sport while you yell “caaaarn Aussie!” at the TV can sure work up an appetite, so we’ve got the perfect Japanese snack to keep you going: mushroom and chive gyoza. If you’re worried about missing anything interesting while you make them, do it while the race walking is on. Those guys will be going for ages.  

Gyoza – crescent-shaped, pastry-wrapped dumplings filled with meat and/or vegies – are the Japanese version of jiaozi, or Chinese potstickers. Jiaozi originated in China almost two thousand years ago, while gyoza is its more recently introduced culinary cousin that’s now hugely popular in Japan. Japanese soldiers stationed in China during WWII really got into jiaozi while they were there and brought the idea back home with them, with locals soon taking the concept and running with it, adding a Japanese spin. While the two are basically the same in theory (and therefore both delicious), gyoza tends to have a thinner wrapper and more finely-chopped fillings than jiaozi. It’s also slightly smaller.

Ready to give gyoza a red hot go? Try this recipe for mushroom and chive gyoza. It’s perfect for snacking on while you’re cheering on the Australian Olympic team.

Mushroom and chive gyoza

Recipe by Bonnie Coumbe for Australian Mushrooms
Makes 20-25 gyoza
Cook time 35-40 minutes

You’ll need:

For the gyoza:

300g mushrooms, finely diced
1½ tbsp ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
200g wombok cabbage, finely diced
1 tsp tamari sauce
½ bunch Asian chives, finally chopped
25 gyoza wrappers (gow gee pastry)
Vegetable oil for cooking
Water

For the dipping sauce:

1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp tamari sauce or soy sauce
½ tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp honey
1 small chilli, finely sliced

To serve:

1 tbsp Asian shallots, thinly sliced
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method:

1. Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a jar, shake well. Set aside.

2. To make gyoza, heat a drizzle of oil in a wok or large heavy base frypan with high sides on medium heat. Add ginger and garlic, sauté for a few minutes, then add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms turn golden-brown.

3. Add cabbage, stir through. After 1 minute, or once cabbage has wilted and turned translucent, add 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Turn off the heat, add chives and stir through.

5. Transfer gyoza mixture to a sieve to drain off excess liquid while it cools.

6. Once mix has completely cooled, gyoza can be wrapped. Place about one and a half teaspoons (depending on how big your wrappers are) of mixture into the centre of each wrapper. Brush edge of wrapper with water, then fold over the wrap so it looks like a half-moon. Gently press wrapper seams together along the joined seam. Set aside while the rest are made. Cover with a tea towel to stop them drying out.

7. Heat up a heavy base fry pan to medium-high. Add a good drizzle of oil. Place gyozas bottom-side down (so seam is at the top). Fry for a few minutes until pastry bases are golden-brown. Add a splash of water to the pan (stand back to prevent it spraying you). Place a lid on to steam for a couple of minutes. Once the pastry has become transparent and all water has evaporated, gently remove from pan. Set aside while the rest are cooked.

8. Serve gyoza on a platter with dipping sauce in a small bowl. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and freshly sliced shallots over the top.