3 Top Tips For Restaurant-Worthy Gyoza, According To A Chef

It's no wonder many people think of Japanese gyoza as primarily a restaurant experience, given the obvious expertise involved in getting that just-right flavor, texture, and tasty filling. Depending on location, you may encounter them in Asian restaurants, ramen shops, or Japanese izakaya bars and pubs. There's a host of tricks and techniques involved in creating those crescent-shaped little dumplings, and making them at home can be intimidating. It often means buying frozen gyoza packets and hoping the instructions get you in the ballpark. But there's actually a better way to make gyoza that approximates restaurant quality from the convenience of your own kitchen.

To learn the delicate dance of gyoza creation, we reached out to an expert in the field: Chef Koj, private chef and food writer, and creator of Koj Cookery Lessons. Straight from this Japanese food and drink expert, we're sharing his three top tips, specifically on getting that multi-faceted textural balance that defines the ultimate gyoza. What differentiates gyoza from other dumplings is primarily the thinner consistency of the gyoza dough wrapper, which makes it easy to crisp up a portion of the pan-fried texture.

In essence, elevating the art of gyoza-making requires achieving a crunchy bottom, a soft top, and ideally, what's known as gyoza "wings." Here's a deeper look at how that happens, including some simple techniques from Chef Koj. 

It's important to understand that gyoza is specifically a Japanese-style dumpling, different from regular dumplings or potstickers, which are considerably thicker. As such, the cooking techniques differ considerably, as do the final results, starting with the bottom texture. "First of all, I think the perfect gyoza has a crispy, almost burnt bottom and a squidgy top," Chef Koj explained. To achieve this when making gyoza at home, he advised, "Press them down onto the work surface once you have pleated them. That will give you a flat surface in the frying pan to achieve the crispy bottom." 

To get that luscious crunchy flavor and texture, fry each gyoza in a sturdy stovetop pan with a small amount of oil. But keep an eye on them, as it only takes a few minutes for the gyoza to start browning with the flat side down. Don't flip them, as you only want the bottoms crispy, not the tops. The next step is the true secret for balancing a crunchy bottom and soft top. 

The next step is keeping the bottoms crispy while softening the tops. "Add a splash of water, cover with a lid, and cook for two minutes in the steam. Then remove the lid and restore the crispiness on the bottom," Chef Koj advised.

Once the steam escapes, the bottoms are then free to sizzle back to the crunchy consistency you want. But let's talk "squidgy" for a minute, as that's how Chef Koj describes the desired top texture for each gyoza. As the chef is based in England, he's using a largely British term for what Americans typically describe as squishy, spongy, or doughy. Let's just say that a "squidgy" gyoza top is the opposite of its crispy fried bottom; it infers a soft texture but one that doesn't fall apart. 

The important thing is ending up with that glorious dichotomy of culinary texture in each bite: Crispy tops and squidgy bottoms, crashing together in your mouth. What's in the center obviously matters as well. The recipes vary, but the filling is typically minced or ground meat, often pork, along with diced or shredded cabbage, garlic, various veggies per preference, and seasonings such as soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. 

Now here's a real piece of gyoza artistry that's lesser known by aspiring home chefs. It's an extra finishing touch shared by Chef Koj. "For a really professional look," he said, "you can add a light slurry of flour and water at this last stage — this will turn into crispy edges, known as 'hane', or 'wings'." 

With the added "wings," this version is often referred to as Hanetsuki gyoza; the word "hane" means "wings" in Japanese as Chef Koj noted, and "tsuki" translates to "with." This method creates a light, lacy layer of golden crust that adds yet another layer of complexity to the textural appeal. The slurry that creates the winged texture often utilizes flour, though many recipes also employ powdered starch such as tapioca, potato, or cornstarch. Mix the flour and starch with water, and then pour that slurry into the pan during the steaming step, allowing it to fill the gaps between each gyoza.

The slurry will gradually evaporate, creating that lacy appearance. A drizzle of sesame oil can help loosen the wings and add an extra crispy touch.