Mandu

Name: Mandu
Cook time: 95 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 450g Ground Pork; 200g Tofu (Firm), pressed and crumbled; 150g Napa Cabbage, finely chopped; 1/2 tsp Salt, for wilting the cabbage; 50g Glass Noodles, dangmyeon (Korean), dry; 1/2 cups Garlic Chives, buchu, finely chopped; 2 Scallions, finely sliced; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 1 tsp Ginger, grated; 2 tbsp Soy Sauce; 1 tbsp Sesame Oil; 1 tsp Sugar; 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper; 1 Egg, lightly beaten; 32 wrapper 8-9 cms of Round Dumpling Wrappers, mandu-pi; 2 tbsp Neutral Oil, for pan-frying; 120ml Water, for steam-frying; 3 tbsp Soy Sauce; 1 1/2 tbsp Rice Vinegar; 1 tsp Sesame Oil; 1 tsp Gochugaru, or 1 small red chili, thinly sliced; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds; 1 tbsp Scallion, finely sliced; Some Water, small bowl, for sealing

Mandu are Korean dumplings filled with a savory, juicy mixture of ground pork, soft tofu and crunchy cabbage, brightened with garlic, ginger and chives. Pan-frying then steaming the dumplings gives them a crisp, golden bottom and a tender steamed top—perfect for dipping and sharing. This recipe yields flavorful, satisfying mandu that make a great appetizer or main with a tangy dipping sauce.

Mandu are Korean dumplings filled with a savory, juicy mixture of ground pork, soft tofu and crunchy cabbage, brightened with garl... Show more

Traditional Korean Recipe

Health Grade

C+ · Balanced

Rating

4.3

Time

1 hr30 min

Price

3,10 €

Calories

751 kcal

meal prep

high protein

low sugar

kid friendly

Method

Prep the filling

Rinse the napa cabbage, garlic chives, and scallions, pat them dry, then finely chop the cabbage and chives, thinly slice the scallions, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Toss the cabbage with salt in a bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes so it softens and sheds moisture. While it rests, press the firm tofu between paper towels or a clean kitchen towel with something heavy on top, then crumble it into a large mixing bowl. When the timer is up, squeeze the cabbage firmly with your hands until no more liquid drips out.

Cook the noodles

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the glass noodles for 5 minutes, just until tender and springy. Drain them well, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and cut the noodles into shorter lengths so they blend into the filling more easily.

Mix the filling

Add the squeezed cabbage, crumbled tofu, drained noodles, ground pork, the chopped garlic chives and scallions, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ground black pepper, and the lightly beaten egg to the bowl. Mix with your hands until everything looks evenly distributed and the filling feels sticky enough to hold together when you squeeze a small handful.

Assemble the mandu

Set out the round dumpling wrappers and keep a small bowl of water nearby for sealing. Put about 1 tablespoon filling in the center of each wrapper, moisten the edge with your fingertip, press out any trapped air, fold into a half-moon, and pinch tightly to seal. Repeat until you have 32 dumplings, then cover the finished mandu with a lightly damp towel so the wrappers do not dry out.

Pan-fry the dumplings

Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer, flat side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms are deep golden. Add the water, cover right away, and steam for 5 minutes until the wrappers look slightly translucent and the filling is cooked through. Uncover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more until any remaining water evaporates and the bottoms crisp back up. Repeat with the remaining dumplings in batches if needed.

Mix the sauce

Stir together the rice vinegar, gochugaru, toasted sesame seeds, and the remaining sliced scallion with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Give it a quick taste and nudge it sweeter or sharper if you want.