Pillowy and tender pan-fried shrimp gyoza ready in less than 30 minutes.

There is a first time for everything and last week, I made my very first batch of gyoza. As daunting as making dumplings seemed, it’s something I always wanted to make from scratch. And if I had known they were this easy to make, I wouldn’t have waited this long.

Not only was making gyoza effortless, it was a lot of fun too! I really enjoyed the act of spooning a little filling into a paper thin piece of dough, folding its edges and watch it turned into a beautiful half moon pillow. Spoon, fold, repeat, spoon, fold, repeat.

There was a zen like element to making gyoza – my body and mind developed a rhythm that was in perfect harmony. Gyoza and meditation, who knew they went so well together!

My love for gyoza goes all the way back to my childhood during a summer spent in Japan at the tender age of four, where I also discovered an appetite for pickled plums!

I would spend the mornings in my grand father’s bonsai garden playing with snails, glass beads, and pretending to be a princess lost in an enchanted world.

I’ve always enjoyed spending time alone with my thoughts and dreams, a trait I surely picked up from my mother. I sipped on mugicha (iced barley tea) and snacked on dried squid until it was time to eat lunch.

Most of the time lunch was served at my grandparents (where we stayed the entire summer) but once in a while we, the kids, would decide on where to eat. While my Japanese cousins were all about burgers and fries, my brother and I only had eyes for one place; Ringer Hut.

Ringer Hut is a Japanese restaurant chain that serves Champon, a noodle soup similar to ramen that comes topped with a mountain of stir fried vegetables, and a side plate full of gyoza.

Discovering gyoza was about as exciting as finding out that cookie dough ice cream really existed – our taste buds couldn’t stop dancing while our brains fired the word YUM at top speed, non stop.

It was the best lunch I ever had as a little girl and still remains a favorite every time I go back for a visit.

Some things never change; the menu is still the same and though my grandparents are no longer around, my mother and I (and now Ben too!) still like to sit at our favorite corner booth and order the lunch special.

Most gyoza recipes contain ground meat of some sort. This one doesn’t. Instead, I’ve used a mix of fresh and dried shrimp and lots of shredded cabbage for the filling. They can be served with a spicy szechuan sauce or a traditional Japanese gyoza sauce.

This recipe makes about 20 dumplings. They can easily be frozen and saved for later. You don’t have to thaw them before cooking either – just heat up your pan with a little oil as you normally would and follow the step listed in the recipe.

Did you like this Shrimp Gyoza Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

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