Vegetarian Gyoza

Alex Bazar / Chocolate Buddha

Chocolate Buddha is a casual Japanese eatery at Fed Square, serving fresh izakaya plates, sushi and bento, with a sushi train.¹

In Japan, the practice of Shokuiku (食育), or food education, is an important part of the culture, and is taught in schools and universities. Core principles of Shokuiki include learning to listen to our bodies, eating seasonally and mindfully and eating more meals with others.

Serves 3–4, makes 12 pieces

Vegetable Gyoza is a delicious meal that you can make and enjoy together with friends or family around the table. Double the recipe to make in bulk so you have leftovers to freeze.

Ingredients

Gyoza wrappers²
150g finely chopped white cabbage
150g finely chopped Chinese cabbage (wombok)
100g cooked or canned chickpeas, mashed
40g garlic chives³, finely chopped
½ onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 Tbsp potato starch or corn starch
1/2 tsp superfine caster sugar
½ Tbsp cooking sake
1 Tbsp finely chopped coriander
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp soy sauce
To serve: Japanese mayonnaise⁴, soy sauce

Method

STEP 1

Add half oil to a pan and cook both cabbages, onions, carrot and garlic until soft. Remove from heat.

STEP 2

Add starch, chickpeas, sugar, sake and soy sauce to the pan. When mixture has cooled, add coriander.

STEP 3

Place one gyoza wrapper in the palm of your hand and place 3tsp of cabbage mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Use a finger to rub water around the edge of the wrapper and press the sides together to seal. Repeat for remainder of the dumplings.

STEP 4

Place the remaining oil in a heavy-based pan and cook gyoza over medium heat for 5 minutes without moving gyoza. Pour 60ml of water in the pan and cover with lid until water has evaporated – be careful of the oil splashing, as the pan will sizzle and spit.

STEP 5

Serve with soy, mayonnaise, or both.

Itadakimasu!⁵

Notes

1. To freeze, prepare up until step 4, then place prepared, uncooked gyoza in an airtight container. Ensure the gyoza don’t touch and separate each layer with greaseproof paper so they don’t stick while freezing.
2. Gyoza wrappers are a thin, circular dumpling casing, available in the fridge section of your local Asian supermarket.
3. Garlic chives are a mildly onion-flavoured green, which look like a thicker-stemmed chive. They’re available at your local market or Asian supermarket. Don’t replace them with regular chives as regular chives are much stronger in flavour.
4. Kewpie mayonnaise is a popular brand of Japanese mayonnaise, available at most supermarkets.
5. Itadakimasu literally translates as ‘I humbly receive’. It is said in Japan before a meal, similarly to ‘Bon appétit’ in French. The meaning is about giving thanks for the meal and everything that went into it: the vegetables, the farmers who grew the plants and the person who prepared it.

To learn more about Chocolate Buddha and to book, visit their website: https://chocolatebuddha.com.au/

For more ideas and inspiration for sustainable living, check out the full RESET: Spring at Fed Square program, which includes events and activations all about learning to live more sustainably.