Gyoza in Hakone, Japan
Gazing at the snow-capped peak of Mt. Fuji, across Lake Ashinoko near the town of Hakone, we felt as if we were in a painting. This was the view that we had seen in all the guide books and tourist posters, and we were actually in it! It felt surreal! Mt. Fuji has enormous religious and cultural significance in Japan. One of Japan’s greatest artists, Hokusai, created a series of prints entitled “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”, which are some of the best known images in the world. Among those prints is this incomparable view from Hakone.
Hakone is only an hour’s journey from Tokyo, making it a very popular destination. The train to Hakone, intriguingly named the ‘Romance car’, stopped at the foot of the hills, and to go further we transferred to a small mountain train that zig-zagged up the hillside at an alarming incline. The final stage to the mountaintop was by a cable car that gave spectacular views of the lush mountains and forests.
Located next to an active volcano, Hakone is famous for the geothermal vents that supply natural hot spring water to the baths known as onsens. You can stay in a ryokan, a traditional inn, of which there are many in town and opt for a private onsen or a public one, depending on your budget. A long soak in the scalding hot waters of the onsen is a fantastic way to relax and recover.
Then, its on to the dining hall for an elaborate multi course, carefully curated meal that will rival any Michelin starred restaurant! Known as kaiseki cuisine, it consists of many small plates, artfully decorated and designed to showcase local ingredients. We had a hot pot with miso broth, lots of assorted fresh seafood, pickles vegetables and many other delectable dishes.
Mount Hakone has not erupted for 3000 years, but it makes sure it is not forgotten by emitting large jets of steam. A cable car took us across the volcanic crater that had steam erupting from vents in the rocks, leaving a strong smell of sulphur in the air. Local shops sold eggs cooked in the hot springs bubbling below until they turn black, and eating one was claimed to extend your life by seven years. We had a few just to be safe. The cable car took us to Lake Ashinoko, located high -up in a volcanic crater, where there was a rather surprising sight - a pirate ship that took us on a cruise across the lake.
One of the best attractions to visit in Hakone is the Open Air Museum. Built on the slope of a hill it covers a large area with enormous sculptures by Japanese and international artists, including masters such as Picasso, Henry Moore, and Rodin. The artworks are designed to take advantage of the beautiful surrounding hills and forests that form a spectacular backdrop, and many are interactive, encouraging children to climb over them. It was a lovely place to spend a few hours.
You can’t leave Hakone without having some of the best gyoza in town! Gyoza center, conveniently situated a few minutes from Chokoku-no-Mori Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway is a charming restaurant well known for it’s incredible food and cute decor. It usually has a lineup of people patiently waiting to get in. We were so hungry by the time we got to our table that we easily got through several platters of their delicious gyoza, trying out many different varieties. And once we returned home, we could satisfy our gyoza cravings with this easy recipe below!
These delicious gyoza are great, with lots of variations possible on the stuffing, depending on your mood. Substitute chicken or beef for the pork, or keep them entirely vegetarian with tofu and bok choy, add some fresh coriander or mint - the possibilities are endless! I’ve skipped the traditional method of salting the cabbage first to save time and to keep the gyoza juicy. The stuffing is easily made in a food processor but you can also just finely chop the ingredients instead. Extra gyoza (if you have any!) can be frozen uncooked for another day.
Easy Homemade Gyoza
1/2 mdm onion
1 cup chopped cabbage
2 cloves garlic
1/2 inch ginger
2-3 shitaki mushrooms
1 cup (about 200g) ground pork
1 tbsp each: soy sauce, sesame oil
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar
1 pkg gyoza or dumpling wrappers (about 25-30)
2 tbsp oil
Place onion, cabbage, garlic, ginger and mushrooms in a food processor. Pulse briefly until minced.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add ground pork, soy, sesame, salt and sugar. Mix well with your hands until well blended.
Place a wrapper in the palm of your hand; add 1 tbsp meat mixture in center of wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with water. Fold over both sides to enclose filling, press tightly or pleat edges to seal completely. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
Warm a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp sesame or vegetable oil. Swirl to coat pan. Place about half the gyoza in a single layer (or as many as pan can hold), flat side down. Do not over crowd pan. Cook until the gyoza brown lightly at the bottom, about 2 min.
Pour 1/4 cup water around edges of gyoza, cover pan. Reduce heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes or until water has been absorbed. Uncover pan and cook for a couple more minutes to crisp up the bottoms of the gyoza. Transfer to serving platter. Repeat with remaining gyoza.
Serve with a dipping sauce of 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and a drizzle of chilli oil mixed together.
Makes 25-30 gyoza
