Vegan Gyoza with Tempeh and a Crispy Bottom

Prep 40 min·Cook 15 min·Total 55 min·4 servings (about 24 gyoza)·VEGAN·385 kcal

Vegan gyoza with a golden crispy bottom on a blue plate, with chopsticks and a small bowl of dipping sauce

Ingredients

For the filling

200 gr (7 oz.) tempeh
4 to 5 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove
1 fresh ginger (piece of about 1 to 2 cm)
2 to 3 spring onions
100 gr (3.5 oz.) white cabbage
1 carrot
1 tsp sriracha or another hot sauce (optional)
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
salt and pepper (to taste)

For the dumplings

about 24 gyoza wrappers (vegan, without egg)
water for sealing the edges

For frying and the crispy bottom

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
50 ml (1/4 cup) water for steaming
1 tsp flour (wheat or rice flour)
50 ml (1/4 cup) water for the crispy bottom

Equipment: Large non-stick pan with a lid, Sharp knife, Grater, Large bowl, Small bowl of water, Spatula

Instructions

Get everything ready

1.Crumble the tempeh finely with your hands or a fork.
2.Peel and finely chop the garlic, peel the ginger and grate it finely.
3.Trim and finely chop the spring onions, wash the white cabbage and cut it into fine strips, peel the carrot and grate it coarsely.
4.Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until they smell nutty and take them out straight away.

Fry the filling

1.Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a pan and fry the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds, until they are fragrant.
2.Add the crumbled tempeh and fry it for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown.
3.Add the soy sauce, the sugar and the sriracha if you are using it, and stir so the tempeh takes on the flavours.
4.Add the white cabbage, the grated carrot and the spring onions to the pan, mix everything through and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
5.Stir in the toasted sesame seeds, season with salt and pepper and let the filling cool down completely.

Fold the gyoza

1.Lay a gyoza wrapper on the palm of your hand and place 1 heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle.
2.Moisten the edges of the wrapper with a little water.
3.Fold the wrapper over the filling and press the edges together firmly, pleating them as you go if you want the classic gyoza look.
4.Repeat until the filling and the wrappers are used up, and keep the finished gyoza under a damp cloth.

Fry, steam and serve

1.Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan and set the gyoza in it side by side with a little space between them, working in two batches if you need to.
2.Fry the dumplings until the bottoms are golden brown.
3.Stir 1 teaspoon of flour into 50 ml (1/4 cup) of water until there are no lumps and pour the mixture into the pan with the gyoza.
4.Put the lid on straight away and steam the gyoza for 5 to 6 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated completely.
5.Take the lid off and let the pan keep going uncovered for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the crispy bottom has formed.
6.Turn the gyoza out onto a plate with the crisp side up, scatter over spring onions and sesame seeds and serve straight away with a dip of soy sauce and rice vinegar.

Notes

Tip from my kitchen: the filling really has to be cold before you start folding. Warm filling gives off steam, the wrapper goes damp from the inside and tears as you fold. So I always cook it first and park the bowl by an open window or in the fridge for 15 minutes. A small bowl of water right next to the board makes the folding easier, and I keep the finished gyoza under a slightly damp tea towel so the edges never dry out. If your crispy bottom does not hold together, the flour and water mixture was too thick, it should look almost exactly like water. For a hotter version I stir 1 teaspoon of sriracha into the filling, and for the children's portion I simply leave it out. As a starter the 24 gyoza feed 6, as a main with rice they feed 4.

Nutrition per serving: 385 kcal · 15 g protein

MY NOTES

Ten more easy vegan dinners, free: frei-style.com/ebook