When I was 23, I spent a year in Japan teaching English to Japanese students. It was one of the best years of my life.

One of the biggest challenges for me was adapting to Japanese cuisine – or more accurately, adapting to the Japanese grocery store. 

I don’t read Japanese, which was part of the problem. And so much of what was on the grocery store shelves was unfamiliar to me.

With the help of friends, a little trial and error – and the delicious, comforting, life-sustaining gyoza (Japanese potstickers) – I survived in fine fashion.

I ate many, many, many meals consisting only of gyoza dipped in sweet chili sauce.

Balanced meal? No.

Delicious comfort food? Absolutely.

After I got back, so I started making my own gyoza at home.

They’re a little bit putzy, so I don’t make them often. But whenever I do, it totally takes me back to my little kitchen in Japan.

Food really does have a way of evoking memories, bringing us back to a time and a place.

Don’t feel like making homemade potstickers? Buy a bag of frozen gyoza from Trader Joe’s. They have chicken, pork, and vegetarian varieties.

More Japanese-Inspired Recipes

• Spicy tuna sushi bowls (fully cooked)
• Homemade teriyaki chicken rolls (Just $1.40 per person!)
• Homemade quinoa sushi rolls
• California roll salad
• Japanese potato salad
• Slow-cooker teriyaki chicken

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Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)

Yield: 24 potstickers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

You can freeze extra potsticker filling for up to two months. Then you're just minutes away from a delicious homemade Japanese appetizer.

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Ingredients

• 24 wonton wrappers
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 small piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt, to taste
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Oil, for frying

Instructions

1. To prepare potsticker filling: Mix ground pork, ginger, garlic, salt, scallions, soy sauce (and optional sesame oil) in a bowl. Set aside.
2. To assemble wontons: Place about one teaspoon of potsticker filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Rub the outer edge of the wonton wrapper with a bit of water. Fold the wrapper over and press down on the edges to seal.
3. To cook potstickers: Heat about two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until one side of the potsticker browns. Turn and repeat to brown the other side. Next, pour about 1/3 cup of water into the pan and immediately place a lid over the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 8 minutes. Check the center of the potstickers to test for doneness. If the potstickers are not fully cooked, add a bit more water and steam for a few more minutes.
4. Serve potstickers with sweet chili sauce, a soy sauce/rice vinegar/sesame oil blend, or your favorite dipping sauce.