Step 1

If your gyoza wrappers are frozen, leave them out to thaw.

Step 2

First prepare the filling: shred the cabbage and weigh out the amount for the filling (if you’re using the rest for the salad). Toss it with salt and leave for 10 minutes to wilt.

Step 3

Chop the prawns roughly; place them in a large bowl with the ginger, garlic, chili and spring onion. Squeeze as much moisture from the cabbage as you can using your hands or a muslin cloth, add it to the bowl. Sprinkle over the corn flour, sesame oil, sugar, sake and soy sauce and mix it all together with your hands.

Step 4

You can make the filling ahead and keep it in the fridge, but once wrapped, gyoza need to be fried straight away or the wrappers will go soggy. You can freeze them when wrapped though and next time fry without thawing.

Step 5

To wrap the gyoza, lay out the skins, a few at a time, on a wooden board. Have a bowl with water at hand. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each skin, then working with one at a time brush the edge with water, fold the skin over the filling in half and pinch together, pleating the front half of the skin towards the middle three or four times. Place on a tray and continue wrapping.

Step 6

To fry the gyoza, heat up 2 tbsp. of oil for each batch in a non-stick pan or wok with a fitting lid. Place the gyoza flat side down in the pan without crowding. Fry them for 3-4 minutes until the bottoms are browned and crisp. Brace yourself for the spit and sizzle and pour in about ¼ cup cold water. Put the lid on and wait for the sizzle to calm down. Trickle a couple of spoonfuls of the sesame oil around the sides of the pan and put the lid back on. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the liquid has almost all cooked off and the skins are translucent.

Step 7

Uncover the pan and cook for another minute to get rid of any remaining water. Prod the gyoza gently with chopsticks or a palette knife if they stuck to the pan. Remove them onto a serving plate.

Step 8

Mix the dipping sauce in a small bowl; place the shredded cabbage in a large one and toss with the other salad ingredients.