Chinese Dumplings Vs. Japanese Dumplings

Dumplings deserve the highest form of respect, which is why I’m putting my two favorites against each other. Only one dumpling may be victorious.

INGREDIENTS:

Japanese Gyoza:

Makes 25-30 gyoza dumplings

• Gyoza Wrappers

• 2 green cabbage leaves, very finely chopped

• 3/4 lb (340g) ground pork, ideally high fat content

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced and finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon (3g) toasted sesame oil

• 2 teaspoons (8g) mirin

• 1 tablespoon (14g) soy sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, grated

• 2-inch knob ginger, peeled & grated

• 1/2 teaspoon (4g) salt

• 1.5 tablespoon (13g) vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup (59g) water

• salt to taste

Gyoza Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons (33g) rice vinegar

• 3 tablespoon (35g) soy sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon (>1g) toasted sesame oil

Chinese Pork Shumai:

Makes 15-20 Shumai dumplings

• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in boiling water

• 3/4 lb (340g) ground pork (Boston pork butt)

• 1/4 cup water (40g) chestnuts, finely chopped

• 3 green onions, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons (10g) Shaoxing wine

• 1 teaspoon (5g) soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons (8g) sugar

• 1 teaspoon (6g) fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon (<1g) white pepper

• 1-inch ginger, grated

• 1/2 lb (227g) peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped into 1/3 inch cubes

• wonton egg wrappers

• 1/3 cup very finely diced carrots or flying fish roe (for garnish)

• 2 tablespoons (24g) Chinese black vinegar

• 2 tablespoons (24g) Chinese chili oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Japanese Gyoza:

1. In a small bowl, add cabbage, season generously with salt, toss together to coat, and squeeze as much water as you can. Strain and discard the liquid. In a medium-size bowl, add ground pork, cabbage, green onions, toasted sesame oil, mirin, soy sauce, salt, garlic, and ginger; mix by hand.

2. Place a Gyoza wrapper on a work surface. Then with your finger, lightly wet the edge with water, and place a 1.5 tsp dollop of the meat mixture into the center of the wrapper. Fold like a taco, adhere to the top center, then pleat both open ends 3 to 4 times to the edges, first on one side and then the other, and clip to ensure it is closed. Please refer to the video on how to pleat. Repeat with the rest of the filling and wrappers.

3. Lightly oil a 12” non-stick pan with vegetable oil, heat over medium, until hot. Then add in your dumplings flat side down, leaving a ¼” space between each dumpling, filling up the whole pan.

4. Let the dumplings cook and brown for about 2 minutes until the bottom side gets a golden brown. Next, add the water, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and steam for about 7 - 8 minutes.

5. While that’s steaming, in a small bowl mix together all ingredients for gyoza sauce until combined.

6. Remove the lid; if there is any water left, let it simmer until completely gone. Gyozas should look partially transparent. Cut off the heat, remove Gyozas from the pan, and plate with the crisp side up; serve hot and with a side of your sauce.

Chinese Pork Shumai:

1. Soak mushrooms in boiling water, and allow them to re-hydrate for 5 minutes; squeeze the excess water out and chop them finely.

2. In a medium bowl, add ground pork, water chestnuts, green onions, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, and salt; mix until combined. Then, add shrimp to the meat mixture, gently fold together, then add shiitake mushrooms and fold them in until everything is evenly distributed.

3. Make a hole with your index finger and thumb. Place a shumai egg wrapper on top of that whole. Then using a butter knife or offset spatula smear your meat mixture in the center to push through the hole and start making a sack. Flatten the top and the bottom, until it lines up with the top of the shumai. Wet and fold over any ears that are created in this process.

4. Set up a bamboo steamer on top of a small pot with simmering water. Line the steamer with cabbage leaves, and add as many Shumai as you can. Add a pinch of diced carrots or flying fish roe to the top of the shumai. Cover with a lid and steam for 8 - 10 minutes or until the filling is cooked through or reaches 160F.

5. Sauce - In a small bowl, combine Chinese chili oil and Chinese black vinegar; and mix until combined. Remove the lid and serve while hot with your sauce.