There are some things in life that just can't wait, like these beautifully charred pork dumplings (or gyozas) topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, spring onions and bonito flakes. I was getting my regular TV fix of Destination Flavour Japan last week, and as I watched Adam Liaw flip over a pan of crisp charred dumplings onto a plate, I couldn't help but imagine how tasty those gyozas would be if I could just have a bite. Gyozas are similar to Chinese potstickers (guotie), though their Chinese counterparts usually have thicker skins and are slightly bigger. Both are usually served with a soy and vinegar dipping sauce, sometimes with chilli oil and shredded ginger too.
By the way, check out these dancing bonito flakes below!
By the way, check out these dancing bonito flakes below!
I've never made gyoza wrappers from scratch before, though they are really good because you can roll them out thinly and they get nice and crisp after frying. If you can't spare the time to make them, store-bought wrappers work fine too. In the show, Adam used Otafuku sauce, which is a popular brand of Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) sauce. I decided to make my own sauce from scratch based on my Modanyaki recipe post.
These pancake-style gyozas are fantastic, especially with the tangy okonomiyaki sauce and the creamy mayonnaise. The best part are the burnt black bottoms of the dumplings, which gives it the extra oomph! Seriously. The addition of the potato starch solution during the last part of cooking gives the gyozas the wafer-thin crispy "wings" on the edges. A word of advice: please use a good non-stick pan, and by that I mean one that still has the non-stick coating over it. The pan I used was really old and worn, and so some of the dumplings got stuck to the surface, which made it tricky to pry them off without tearing the delicate skins. Nevertheless, I manage to salvage most of them to a reasonable extent. Most importantly, they tasted good!
I'm looking forward to making these again. Miss H was only too happy to help with rolling out the dumpling skins. Next time, I might teach her how to pleat them, neatly. And in a few more years, I'll be able to sit back and supervise her in the kitchen! Patience. Do try your hand at making these gyozas. It's fun to serve them okonomiyaki-style (we love Japanese mayo!). They are equally delicious when simply served with a soy and vinegar dipping sauce.
Click here to continue to the Gyoza Recipe plus more photos! >>
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| Charred - mission complete! |