Baked Gyoza

Gyōza (餃子) are one of Japan's most loved small plates — juicy filling, lacy crisp bottom, and a dipping sauce that ties it all together. Dojo shoyu seasons the filling with rounded umami (旨み) and makes a dipping sauce with depth that cheap soy sauce never reaches. Baking them is easier than pan-frying a full batch, and the results are just as good for a weeknight table.

Ingredients

Filling

• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 2 cups finely shredded napa cabbage
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dojo soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 24 round gyoza wrappers
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, for the pan
• 1/3 cup water

Dipping sauce (つけ汁)

• 3 tablespoons Dojo soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Chili oil, to taste (optional)

How to Make It

1. Toss the shredded cabbage with a pinch of salt and rest 5 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as you can — dry cabbage keeps the filling from getting soggy.
2. Mix the pork, cabbage, green onion, Dojo soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil in a bowl until the mixture turns sticky and holds together.
3. Place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Wet the edge with water, fold in half, and pleat one side to seal — or simply press the edges closed.
4. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the gyoza in rows. Brush the tops lightly with oil.
5. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 8 minutes. Pour the water into the pan (it will sizzle), return to the oven, and bake 2 to 3 minutes more until the bottoms are golden and crisp.
6. Whisk the dipping sauce ingredients together. Serve the gyoza hot, dipped in sauce.

Make It Your Own

Swap half the pork for finely chopped shrimp, or use ground chicken for a lighter filling. A few drops of Dojo in the dipping sauce is enough — the barrel-aged flavor carries the whole bowl.