What are the main different types of Gyoza served in Japan?
Yaki-Gyoza
The most comon type of Gyoza in Japan is Yaki-Gyoza. This style of Gyoza is very similar to the Chinese ‘potsticker’ dumplings. The prepared dumplings are placed in a pan and fried for a short time, water is then added to the pan and a lid placed on top, to steam the dumplings. When the steaming process is complete the lid of the pan is removed and the Gyoza are left to continue to crisp.
Age-Gyoza
The Age-Gyoza method of preparing Gyoza results in a very similar result to the Yaki-Gyoza, a crispy dumpling. What differs in this method is that to produce Age-Gyoza, the dumplings are simply deep fried rather than steamed.
Mushi-gyoza
Mushi-Gyoza results in a much healthier alternative to Age-Gyoza and Yaki-Gyoza. To create Mushi-Gyoza the dumplings are cooked in a bamboo steamer, without the need for frying.
Sui-Gyoza
This slightly different version of Gyoza involves boiling the dumplings in a soup or water. This results in a much different texture to the other common methods, a chewier and more tender dumpling with no crispiness.
When it comes to what to put into your Gyoza, the choices are endless, you could make a delicious and healthy vegetable gyoza using fresh seasonal vegetables cooked in a delicious soy-based broth. Traditionally in Japan Gyoza are filled with a mix of finely minced pork, mushrooms and cabbage, which creates a delicious mix of flavours and textures. However, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating your own Gyoza. Other popular fillings in Japan include seafood or prawns, minced lamb and vegan versions utilising tofu.
When eating Gyoza, they shouldn’t be eaten on their own, a good dipping sauce is essential. This can be as simple or as complicated as you’d like. Many eat their Gyoza with just soy sauce for dipping, if you wanted to be a little more adventurous you could pick a Ponzu sauce for an additional citrus tang.
To create an amazing soy sauce dip, mix Kikkoman Soy Sauce with vinegar and a dash of chilli oil. Or if you prefer a tangy flavour, mix Kikkoman Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Soy Sauce with some sesame oil for the perfect Gyoza accompaniment.
Try our Gyoza Recipes
Want to try your hand at making Gyozas at home? We have a great gyoza recipe that is sure to go down a treat. Just make sure you create a flavoursome dip to pair them with.
FAQs
Gyoza (餃子, gyōza) are dumplings filled with ground meat and vegetables and wrapped in a thin dough. Also known as pot stickers, gyoza originated in China (where they are called jiaozi), but have become a very popular dish in Japan.
What is a gyoza vs dumpling? ›
In Japan, gyoza is almost exclusively pan-fried and steamed, served on its own or with a salty and tangy dipping sauce. Dumplings can be boiled, steamed, or fried; served as is, with a spicy sauce, or in a soup.
What do Japanese eat with gyoza? ›
Gyoza is usually dipped in a mixture of soy sauce and rice vinegar with some chili oil called ra-yu dribbled in. Often it is either served as a side order to ramen, but in Japan, you can also find people eating it with rice. Depending on the type of gyoza, the sauce it is eaten with may vary.
Why is gyoza important to Japanese culture? ›
Gyoza might be considered one of Japan's staple foods
In fact, gyoza are so common in Japan, they might be considered one of the country's staple foods; certainly they are a universal favorite, often eaten as a main dish with rice and soup or as an accompaniment to ramen noodles.
Is gyoza made of pork? ›
The simplest recipes have you knead together pork, minced cabbage, and aromatics like garlic, ginger, and nira (Japanese garlic chives; scallions will do just fine). Without know-how, these don't produce particularly good dumplings.
Are gyozas healthy? ›
Are gyozas healthy? Asian food is generally quite healthy, but as with any dish, nothing in excess is good. Gyozas are quite healthy, but they depend a lot on the content and the type of cooking. A gyoza stuffed with pork and fried is not the same as one with steamed vegetables.
What is Japan's number 1 gyoza? ›
N°1 GYOZA IN JAPAN: Ajinomoto gyoza are the best-selling gyoza on the Japanese market.
Can you eat gyoza as a meal? ›
This 10 minute gyoza soup is the perfect speedy lunch/dinner. Similar to a Japanese dumpling soup, it's packed with veg. This gyoza soup recipe can be your go to recipe when you're running late and need to get in lots of veggies and flavour without putting any time or effort in.
Are gyozas meant to be cold? ›
After it has been cooked it is best to eat it straightaway while it's still hot, though some people like a cooler, or even cold, gyoza, however you don't just eat it as it is. If you are eating in a restaurant then they will provide a dipping sauce, and if you buy it in a supermarket it will normally come with a sauce.
What is a fact about gyoza? ›
Japanese gyoza are most similar to Chinese potstickers, or jiaozi, as they were originally based on these Chinese dumplings. In fact, the word “gyoza” comes from “jiaozi”.
Gyozas are made of a thin sheet of wheat flour with a finely textured filling made of vegetables or meat that can be boiled, steamed, or fried. Their origin stems from China with the invention of Jiaozi. In fact, gyoza is the Japanese pronunciation of jiaozi!
Which Japanese city is famous for gyoza? ›
Utsunomiya City in Tochigi Prefecture is famous for its gyoza dumplings.
Is gyoza just potstickers? ›
Japanese gyoza do have some general, subtle differences from potstickers. They are usually made from pre-fabricated wrappers that are thinner, smaller, and more delicate, and the filling is more finely textured. Gyoza are usually smaller than a potsticker, about one to two bites.
What do Americans call gyoza? ›
Though considered part of Chinese cuisine, jiaozi are also popular in other parts of East Asia, where a Japanese variety is referred to as gyoza, and in the Western world, where a fried variety is referred to as potstickers.
What does gyoza translate from Japanese to English? ›
Meaning of gyoza in English
a Japanese food consisting of meat or vegetables wrapped in dough (= flour and water mixed together) and fried in oil: We had Japanese gyoza to start. I chose hot prawn gyoza.
What is the English word for gyoza? ›
gyoza (plural gyozas or gyoza) A Japanese crescent-shaped dumpling filled with a minced stuffing and steamed, boiled or fried; the Japanese equivalent of the Chinese jiaozi.
