Crisp Pan-Fried Spelt Gyoza with Mushroom Cabbage Filling

Spelt gyoza with mushroom and cabbage are pan-fried dumplings with a soft, nutty wrapper and a crisp golden base. The filling stays clean and savory, built on browned mushrooms, salted cabbage, ginger and spring onion.

The wrapper is a plain hot water dough made from spelt flour, water and salt. The texture stays tender rather than chewy, and the dough rolls out without fuss.

You can fold the gyoza ahead. Keep them raw on a floured tray in the fridge for up to 24 hours, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Then fry them when you're ready, straight from the fridge or freezer.

This batch makes 32 gyoza, enough for four people. Rolling and folding takes about 30 minutes, and the steps stay clear for a first attempt at pleating.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Soft spelt wrappers with a crisp, golden base
A vegan filling that stays savory and balanced
Fold ahead and freeze raw for later
Only flour, water and salt for the dough

Sixteen spelt gyoza in a ring in a nonstick skillet, bases turning golden as water steams off

Ingredient Notes

white spelt flour: White spelt rolls thinner and stays tender after frying. Whole grain spelt works but makes a denser, more fragile wrapper.
mushrooms: Chestnut mushrooms are affordable and brown well. Shiitake gives a deeper flavor, so use half and half if you like.
green cabbage: Shred it very fine so it folds into the filling. Savoy or white cabbage can replace it at the same weight.
soy sauce: Soy sauce contains gluten. Use a reduced-sodium version if you prefer a lighter salt level in the dip.

Shared plate at a casual family table with chopsticks, dipping bowls and a cucumber salad in window light

Prep Time 40 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Rest Time 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 30 mins

Cooking Method: Stovetop

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Courses: Main Course

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: 4

Estimated Cost: 1.50

Calories: 297

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains gluten (spelt), Dairy-Free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Vegan

Description

A hot water spelt dough wraps browned mushrooms, salted cabbage, ginger and garlic. The dumplings are pan-fried in two batches until the bases turn crisp.

Ingredients

For the wrappers

250 g white spelt flour (plus extra for dusting)
130 ml hot water (just off the boil)
1/4 tsp fine salt

For the filling

300 g green cabbage (shredded very fine)
1/2 tsp fine salt (for the cabbage)
250 g chestnut or shiitake mushrooms (finely chopped)
1 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower or rapeseed)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
3 spring onions (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cornflour
1/4 tsp white pepper

For frying

2 tbsp neutral oil (1 tbsp per batch)
160 ml water (80 ml per batch)

For the dipping sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp chili oil (optional)
1 spring onion (thinly sliced)

Instructions

Make the wrappers

1
Mix 250 g spelt flour and 1/4 tsp salt in a 24 cm / 9-inch mixing bowl. Pour in 130 ml hot water and stir with chopsticks until shaggy. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes until the dough feels smooth and soft like an earlobe. Cover with the upturned bowl and rest for 30 minutes.

Make the filling while the dough rests

2
Toss the shredded cabbage with 1/2 tsp salt and leave it for 15 minutes. Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze hard until no more liquid drips out.
3
Heat 1 tbsp oil in the 26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chopped mushrooms for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring, until browned and dry. Add the garlic and ginger for the last 30 seconds.
4
Tip the mushrooms into a bowl with the squeezed cabbage, spring onions, 1 tbsp soy sauce, sesame oil, cornflour and white pepper. Mix well and cool for 5 minutes. Wipe the skillet clean.

Roll and fold

5
Roll the rested dough into a log and cut it into 32 pieces of about 12 g each. Flatten each piece and roll it to an 8 cm / 3-inch round, about 1.5 mm thick in the center and slightly thinner at the edge. Keep the center above 1 mm, because thinner spelt wrappers tear at the pleats. Cover rolled wrappers with a damp cloth.
6
Place 1 heaped tsp of filling (about 10 g) in the center of a wrapper. Dampen the edge with a wet fingertip, fold in half and pinch the middle. Make 5 or 6 pleats along one side, pressing to seal. Stand each gyoza flat side down on the floured 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch tray and keep covered. Repeat with all 32.

Pan-fry in two batches

7
Heat 1 tbsp oil in the 26 cm / 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange 16 gyoza flat side down in a ring and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bases are golden.
8
Pour in 80 ml water and cover at once. Lower the heat to medium and steam for 5 minutes until the wrappers look slightly translucent and puffed. Uncover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more until the water has gone and the bases are crisp. Slide the gyoza onto a plate.
9
Wipe the skillet and repeat the frying with the remaining 16 gyoza, 1 tbsp oil and 80 ml water. While the second batch steams, stir the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil and sliced spring onion together in a small bowl. Serve within 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 297kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 1.5g8%
Sodium 1100mg46%
Potassium 450mg13%
Total Carbohydrate 52g18%
Dietary Fiber 5g20%
Sugars 4g
Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 100 IU
Vitamin C 12 mg
Calcium 40 mg
Iron 2.5 mg
Vitamin D 20 IU
Vitamin E 1 mg
Vitamin K 25 mcg
Thiamin 0.2 mg
Riboflavin 0.2 mg
Niacin 4 mg
Vitamin B6 0.2 mg
Folate 40 mcg
Phosphorus 200 mg
Magnesium 60 mg
Zinc 1.8 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Rest the dough for the full 30 minutes so it rolls without springing back.
Salt the cabbage and squeeze it dry before mixing the filling.
Fry in two batches of 16 in a 26 cm / 10-inch skillet.
Cook frozen gyoza without thawing, using 100 ml water and a 7 minute steam.

Keywords: spelt gyoza, mushroom cabbage dumplings, vegan gyoza, spelt dumplings, pan-fried gyoza

Equipment

26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet with a lid
24 cm / 9-inch mixing bowl
rolling pin, about 25 cm / 10 inches long
clean kitchen towel for squeezing the cabbage
33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch tray, dusted with flour

Tips

Use water just off the boil so the dough softens and the wrappers roll out without cracking.
Squeeze the salted cabbage in a clean kitchen towel until no liquid drips, or the filling will leak.
Roll the center of each wrapper slightly thicker than the edge so the base holds the filling.
Cover folded gyoza and spare wrappers with a damp cloth, because spelt dough dries and cracks within minutes.
Fry in two batches of 16 so every gyoza sits flat and the bases brown evenly.

Variations

Add 100 g crumbled firm tofu to the filling and cut the cabbage to 250 g for a denser, higher protein bite.
Steam the gyoza in a lined bamboo steamer for 8 minutes instead of frying, for a soft, tender wrapper.
Simmer the gyoza in boiling water for 4 minutes and serve in a light vegetable broth with chili oil.

Storage and Reheating

Cooked spelt gyoza are best eaten within 10 minutes of leaving the pan. The crisp base softens as steam gathers underneath, so the texture is at its best fresh. Cook only what you plan to eat.

Make ahead by folding the gyoza and keeping them raw. Place them flat on a floured tray, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The wrappers stay soft and sealed.

For longer storage, freeze the raw gyoza on the tray for 1 to 2 hours until firm. Move them to a freezer bag and keep for up to 3 months. Cook straight from frozen with 100 ml water and a 7 minute steam. The dipping sauce keeps in a jar in the fridge for 1 week.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the gyoza straight from the skillet, crisp side up, within 10 minutes of cooking. The base stays crisp while the wrapper is still soft. Put the dipping sauce in small bowls and keep chili oil on the side.

A quick cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar suits them well. A bowl of vegetable miso soup or steamed rice makes the meal more filling.

For a casual gathering, fry the first batch as guests sit down and the second while they eat. The folded gyoza wait on the tray, so the cooking stays calm.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/pan-fried-spelt-gyoza-mushroom-cabbage/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!