This little dumpling has obsessed Japan people for centuries and certainly for a very good reason. We are to find out what that reason is, so let’s hit the heart of it!
Gyoza is juicy and mouth-watering Japanese dumplings, usually filled with ground meat, cabbage, Chinese chives (called Nira in Japanese), ginger, and garlic. The thin dough wrappers allow for a crispy outside, when pan-fried, and a juicy inside. With roots in China, gyoza has transformed over the years and become a popular dish in Japan and with growing popularity of Japanese and Chinese cuisine it also started to get famous all around the world.
Because it’s usually pretty cheap and quickly eaten on a short lunch break, gyoza is one of the most consumed foods in Japan, along with sushi, ramen, and curry rice.
The origin of Gyoza
Like in so many other cases, there are some strong debates on where and when has this beautiful dumpling originated. There seems to be evidence of dumpling fossils found in the ruins of Mesopotamia. But it is also believed that China was already cooking and eating dumplings around the same time, about 3000 BC.
But let’s stick to Japan. The gyoza was first introduced to Japan in the early 1800s from mainland China. Yet, gyoza, “jiaozi” in Chinese, wasn’t widely eaten in Japan until after World War II.
There are thousands of places within Japan where you can find gyoza: ramen shops, Chinese-style restaurants, specialty restaurants, and even convenience stores.
Types of Gyoza
By Food Blog points out several different types of our favourite little dumpling:
1. Pork Gyoza
This is the most common and the most popular gyoza filling in Japan. It consists out of minced pork, cabbage, Chinese chives, garlic, ginger, and other seasonings. It can be served as a main dish, an appetizer or a side dish, although in Japan it is usually served as a side dish.
2. Vegetable Gyoza
The most common vegetable gyoza filling may include tofu, cabbage, onion, mushrooms, and carrots but almost every restaurant has its own recipe.
3. Chicken Gyoza
Chicken gyoza filling consists of minced chicken, cabbage, Chinese chives, garlic, ginger, and other seasonings. Since chicken gyoza is a little oily, many people like to pair this gyoza with a vegetable side dish.
4. Beef Gyoza
Beef gyoza is filled with a mixture of minced beef, cabbage, Chinese chives, garlic, ginger, and other seasonings. And now a recommendation! Since beef gyoza is an especially savoury type of gyoza, it tastes really well alongside plain white rice and miso.
There’s also a diversification when it comes to the way gyoza is prepared. The most popular method or type is certainly pan fried gyoza (yaki). They just love it in Japan! This is how it’s done:
“Uncooked gyoza is first placed on an oiled pan and cooked until the bottom of the gyoza becomes brown and crispy. When this gets done, a mixture of water and cornstarch is added to the pan and covered to allow the gyoza to steam”
Apart from pan fried, there’s also deep fried (age) and steamed gyoza (sui).
If all this made you pretty hungry, we completely understand you! The good news is you can try your tasty gyoza in no time, right here in the sushi heart of Rijeka.
You will love it, see you in Fukuro!
