eggplant gyoza

Tried a new (to me) recipe yesterday, eggplant gyoza

In the past we've tried recipes like this one and this one that substitute other things for the wrappers

This recipe uses eggplant as the wrapper

Eggplant Gyoza : Lettuce club 7/2025 : 2 servings (12 gyoza)

3 eggplant

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oil to pan fry

Filling: 150 grams minced pork

1/3 of a bunch chives, minced

3T green onion, minced

1/2 clove garlic, grated

ginger, minced

1 teaspoon miso

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Dipping sauce: 2 tablespoons shoyu (soy sauce)

1 tablespoon vinegar

After cutting off the top of the eggplant, slice it lengthwise to about 7 millimeter thick slices

Sprinkle  the eggplant slices with salt and let sit for about 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes, squeeze out as much water as possible

Mix the ingredients for the filling

Put 1 tablespoon of filling on 1/2 of the eggplant slice, fold and fry in a pan heated to medium with oil

Fry each side for 3 minutes

Use dipping sauce and enjoy!

NOTES: I think my slices might have been a little thicker than the 7 millimeters, so I used toothpicks to hold the gyoza shut

Then took the toothpicks off when the gyoza got limp enough to stay shut

I think maybe zapping the slices in the microwave might have been better, so that they would release more water and "fold" better

Especially the "ends" of the eggplant  which had more "skin" than flesh was the toughest to "fold"

In Japan they sell chives in bunches, about 1 or 2 inches in diameter...so I used 1/3 of that

I didn't have green onion, so I left it out

I ended up cooking it longer than the 3 minutes on each side

For the dipping sauce I used black vinegar and pepper.

We enjoyed this and gyoza snob approved this too.

I'll try this again, hopefully it will be easier to do the next time.