Pork and vegetable gyozas Serves 46 (makes 40) Preparation: 1 hour Resting: 30 min1 hr Cooking: 10 min

THE BOOK

Panfried gyoza

Neutral vegetable oil

100ml water

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

For working the dough

Potato starch or cornflour

Premade filling of your choice (see below)

Method

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Pour in hot water and mix with chopsticks (or a fork). The dough should have the texture of a crumble topping. Once the dough has cooled slightly, knead by hand until the crumbs can be combined and form a ball. Place it on the work surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is completely smooth.

Make a ball. Work the folds with your fingers to smooth the ball. Turn the dough upside down with the closed side underneath. Wrap it in a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature. Divide the ball into two logs, then cut each log into 20 small pieces. Cover the remaining dough to prevent it from drying.

On a work surface floured with starch, flatten each piece with your hand. Then hold the dough with your left hand and the rolling pin with your right hand. Roll once, turn the dough 90 degrees, roll again, turn the dough 90 degrees again, and so on until you form a nice round shape. The centre of the round must be thicker (2mm) than the edges (1mm). Flour both sides with starch and set aside under a tea towel. Repeat the process with all the pieces of dough.

Place 1 teaspoon filling in the centre of each gyoza wrapper. Wet the edge of the wrapper with your finger. To close the gyoza, fold the wrapper in half over the filling and press the middle of the two edges between your thumb and middle finger. Between the pinched middle and one side, fold to form a pleat and continue sealing the dough between your two index fingers, pinching to the end. Repeat to seal the other side. You should get five or six pleats. Place the gyoza on a plate and press the gyoza lightly to flatten the bottom.

Panfried gyoza

Bring 100ml water to the boil. Oil a frying pan (with an airtight lid) with 1 tablespoon oil using a piece of paper towel and heat over medium heat. Brown the underside of the gyoza, making sure they don't touch, cooking in batches if necessary. Then pour 100ml boiling water into the pan and cover.

Cook for 7 to 8 minutes over mediumlow heat. If the water evaporates before the end of cooking, add a little more. Remove the lid and drizzle 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil over the gyoza and cook for another 1 minute until the bottom of the gyoza is nicely golden.

Boiled gyoza

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Drop the gyoza into the water. Once the gyoza rise to the surface, leave to cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.

Whichever cooking method you choose, serve the gyoza immediately.