These yummy bite size dumplings originate in Asia. The Gyoza are the Japanese variant of the Chinese Jiaozi and are very similar to the crispier Potstickers. USWM October Featured Chef, Tammy Flack, shares her recipe for grain free gyoza dumplings that make an excellent appetizer or main attraction.
Recipe Author: Tammy Flack
USWM Shopping List: Ground Pork
PHOTO CREDIT: Grain free gyoza by Tammy Flack/Primal Wellness Pro
Grain Free Gyoza (makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 head green cabbage
- 1/2 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and chopped finely
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
- 2 green onions, very thinly sliced.
- 1 pound US Wellness Meats ground pork
- 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
- 1/2 tsp. fish sauce (I like Red Boat)
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Dipping sauce (recipe below)
- Black and white sesame seeds (optional)
Directions For Grain Free Gyoza:
Mix together the warm water, cream of tartar, and baking soda and set aside. Separate cabbage leaves carefully.
Then take a portion of the center leaves (the ones that are small and unsuitable for making wraps) and very finely chop about one cup of cabbage. Sauté finely chopped cabbage and chopped shitake mushrooms in sesame oil and coconut aminos until softened and they begin to caramelize. Add garlic, carrots, and green onions, and sauté an additional minute, and allow to cool for a couple of minutes while you put ground pork, ginger, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt in a bowl. Add sautéed vegetables and cream of tartar/baking soda mixture. Mix with hands until combined well, but try not to over-mix.
Form into meatballs. I like to make mine a little bit oval, or crescent-shaped so that they are like the shape of traditional gyoza, but you can make them round if you like. Just remember you are going to have to wrap these babies in cabbage in a moment, so if you get too cute with the shape you will hate yourself later. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Now, you can either pan fry your meatballs in a little bit of coconut oil, or you can put them on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. The skillet method is maybe a little faster (it will probably take about 6 minutes per batch) but messier and requires more baby-sitting. The oven method is my favorite, but both methods work. We just want to get the meatball barely cooked. Don’t worry that much if it is cooked all the way through because it will cook a bit more when it’s wrapped in cabbage.
NOTE: I have tried to skip the step of cooking the meatballs before wrapping them and I have found that when I put the raw meat mixture directly into the cabbage and bake, it releases too much liquid and the cabbage doesn’t stick well. Overall, my results weren’t as good. Go ahead and cook those meatballs. You can stop right there and serve the meatballs without wrapping if you want, because they are delicious. But if you want to wrap your gyoza, read on!
Let the meatballs cool enough to handle. Now here’s the part that seems like it’s going to be hard, but it’s really not. Take 2 or 3 leaves of cabbage and place in your microwave, and microwave on high for 30-60 seconds. Microwaves vary so you may find that you need more or less time, but what you are looking for is the cabbage to be pliable, not cooked. Take kitchen shears and cut the cabbage leaf if it is too big to wrap your meatball (which it probably will be). You need enough to wrap around, tucking the ends in as you wrap. This will take a somewhat rectangular piece of cabbage. I usually cut to each side of the spine of the leaf and discard the spine, especially on the outer leaves of cabbage, where the spines are larger. Once you get the first one and figure out the size and shape, the others will be a breeze. Place the wrapped gyoza in a greased baking dish, with seam-side down. Again, don’t worry if it looks perfect. Repeat until you have wrapped all of the meatballs with cabbage, putting them snug against one another in the pan. Drizzle lightly with a little of the dipping sauce (recipe below) and place in oven (still at 400 degrees). Bake for about 20 minutes, then turn oven to broil for 1 or 2 minutes, watching carefully to be sure the tops of the gyoza do not burn, but I love them slightly browned.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Serve with dipping sauce. Get your happy dance ready.
Gyoza Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 green onion, finely minced
- 1 tsp. lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp. grated fresh ginger (or 1/8 tsp. powdered ginger)
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes.
Mix all of the above and serve with gyoza.
Meet The Chef:
Tammy Flack is a Primal Health Coach and paleo food blogger. Having been influenced from living in Alabama, Texas, and Puerto Rico, Tammy considers herself an AlaTexaRican. She is a passionate advocate for the primal lifestyle and eating healthy, whole foods. Find more of Tammy’s delicious recipes and learn more at PrimalWellnessPro.com
