Saluyot, the Filipino name for jute leaves, is a dark leafy green with a mild, earthy flavor and a slight silkiness when cooked, a little like okra. It's popular across the Philippines, West Africa and the Middle East, where it's known as molokhia.
Here it goes into gyoza with shiitake, tofu and fresh ginger. If you can't find saluyot, spinach works perfectly.
Pan-frying then steaming gives the classic potsticker finish: crisp and golden underneath, tender on top.
The original Princess Tofu blog published a saluyot and shiitake gyoza recipe back in 2012, and food sites still link to it. This is our own fully vegan version, written from scratch.
Ingredient notes and swaps
- Greens: spinach, pak choi or cabbage.
- Mushrooms: chestnut or oyster mushrooms if no shiitake.
- Wrappers: egg-free gyoza wrappers or round dumpling skins.
Tips for success
- Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel while you work.
- Don't overfill: a heaped teaspoon is enough.
Variations
- Steamed: steam for 8 minutes instead of pan-frying.
- Soup dumplings: cook in vegetable broth with ginger and spring onion.
Saluyot and Shiitake Gyoza
Ingredients
Filling
- 200 g (7 oz) saluyot (jute leaves) or spinach
- 150 g (5 oz) fresh shiitake, finely chopped
- 100 g (3½ oz) firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch
To cook
- 30 round gyoza wrappers (egg-free)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) water
Dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp chili oil (optional)
Method
- Blanch the saluyot or spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, cool under cold water and squeeze very dry. Chop finely.
- Fry the shiitake in a dry pan for 4 minutes until they release their liquid and it evaporates. Cool.
- Mix the greens, shiitake, tofu, spring onions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch.
- Put a heaped teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper, wet the edge, fold in half and pleat to seal. Repeat.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick pan with a lid. Fry half the gyoza flat side down for 2 to 3 minutes until golden underneath.
- Add half the water, cover and steam for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover and cook until the water evaporates and the bases crisp again.
- Repeat with the rest, and serve with the dipping sauce.
Dry filling: squeeze the greens hard. Wet filling makes soggy dumplings that tear.
No pleating? Just fold them into half-moons and press the edges firmly.