Mandu (Korean Dumplings)

• Wrappers (mandu pi): You can make these yourself but we don't. We do, however, make a trip to the Korean market and seek out wrappers made in Korea. They tend to be a bit thicker and larger. Having said that, don't avoid making these delicious dumplings if you can't find Korean-made wrappers. Buy the largest wrappers you can find and adjust the amount of filling to match the wrappers strength and size.
• Gochugaru: This is Korean red pepper powder - if you can't find it, substitute cayenne but if need be, order some gochugaru online!
• Chinese or Korean chives: Likely to be found at any Asian market, they look like the smaller herbier chives with much wider, longer leaves. They have a garlicky aroma. You can make the filling with just the green onion, but these add a nice extra layer of flavor. Korean chives are smaller than the Chinese version but look similar.
• Bean sprouts: Look for packages that say mung bean sprouts and they will likely come in a 16-ounce size. It's important to quickly blanch these and thoroughly dry them off before chopping and adding to the filling.
• Sesame oil: These days, this is easy to find even in a regular large-chain grocery.
• Tofu: I use firm or extra firm. Be sure to thoroughly press out the juice. It's key to the texture and success of your filling.
• Napa cabbage: You should be able to find this type of cabbage at both a regular grocery and certainly at an Asian market.
• Sesame seeds: I like to give these a quick toast in a hot pan before adding to the filling, to bring out the flavor.

Steps to make this recipe

The key to successful mandu-making is preparing your ingredients, enlisting a dumpling folding partner and making a lot! If you're going to make dumplings, make enough to eat right away and to freeze. Yes, it takes longer to fold more but if you're taking time to buy and prep all the ingredients, go ahead and fold a lot of dumplings. That's what the grandmas and aunties did!

Prep the filling ingredients

• Press the liquid out of the tofu - begin this process first so it's happening while you prepare the other ingredients. I put the tofu on a plate and lay paper towels on top and then a heavy pan. You'll be amazed at how much liquid comes out. You want the tofu really dry. Once it is, use your hands or a potato masher to break it into little pieces.
• Blanch, dry and chop the bean sprouts.
• Chop the green onions, chives and cabbage.
• Toast the sesame seeds.
• Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and blend well.
• If you want to taste it for flavor, take a small amount and microwave it - obviously you can't taste it raw!

Prepare the mandu

1. Have wrappers nearby, covered, a bowl of water, sheet trays with parchment, a small spoon to portion the filling.

2. Grab a wrapper and put about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center.

3. Wet the outer edge of the wrapper and fold in half and seal carefully. Then wet the half moon edge and create folds as shown in this video.

4. Place each mandu on a sheet tray and keep the tray covered with a cloth. When you are done with each tray, place it in the refrigerator. When all the dumplings are folded, you can cook some (of course!) or freeze or both.

5. To freeze the Korean dumplings, place on a tray in the freezer not touching each other. Once frozen, place in container or plastic bags and they will not stick together.

Mandu cooking methods

Boil: Prepare a large pot of salted boiling water. If the mandu is not frozen, should take about 1.5 minutes to float, then cook for another minute or two. If frozen, they will take 8 - 9 minutes to fully cook after you add them to the boiling water.

Steam: If you have stacking steamer baskets, this method works well to prepare many at the same time.

Pan-fry: We love this method because of the crispy and soft texture you end up with and how many you can cook at the same time.

Deep-fry: We don't bother to deep fry but this is definitely a great option for a full crispy result ready for dipping. Nice for a crowd or party appetizer.

Expert tips and FAQs

1. Prepare the filling ingredients ahead of time. It's important that everything is dry so don't shortcut the time to dry the sprouts or drain the liquid from the tofu.
2. Once the filling is mixed, you can refrigerate for later use. But since it's filled with uncooked meat, I would not delay longer than a day.
3. Be sure you have all of your mandu assembly line ready to go before attempting to fold. If you have helpers, each person should have their own bowl of water, stack of wrappers and access to a tray to put the dumplings on once folded.
4. Pro-tip - if you want to taste the filling before you stuff and fold the dumplings, microwave a small amount. Adjust seasoning as needed.

What to serve with Korean dumplings

Banchan (pronounced Panchan) or small Korean side dishes are served with most meals. Try my Korean cucumber salad, for example. You can easily make a meal out of banchan and mandu. Or add the mandu to soup. My husband's family served them in chicken broth, with pieces of chicken and green onions on top.

When my mother-in-law made them, she would also make bean sprouts and spinach and if we were really lucky, kalbi (grilled Korean short ribs). Here is my late son eating his first-ever mandu made by grandma.

Mandu folding techniques

The video in this post shows the main method we use to fold our dumplings. But we have experimented with other techniques and you can do the same! A folding approach that results in more surface area is best for pan-frying, but the more round approach is great for soups, for example.

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