📝 About This Recipe
Mandu are the ultimate comfort food of Korean cuisine, cherished for their thin, silky skins and incredibly juicy, savory interiors. This recipe balances rich ground pork with the crunch of fresh cabbage, the earthiness of shiitake mushrooms, and a bright kick of ginger and garlic. Whether steamed to a delicate tenderness or pan-fried for a satisfying golden crunch, these dumplings represent a beautiful tradition of gathering loved ones around the kitchen table.
🥗 Ingredients
The Filling
- 1 lb Ground pork (high quality, at least 20% fat for juiciness)
- 2 cups Napa cabbage (finely minced and squeezed dry)
- 1/2 block Firm tofu (mashed and squeezed through cheesecloth to remove moisture)
- 4-5 pieces Dried shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated and finely chopped)
- 1 cup Garlic chives (Buchu) (finely chopped; can substitute with scallions)
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger (grated)
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce (regular or light soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon Toasted sesame oil (for that signature nutty aroma)
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 Egg (lightly beaten, acts as a binder)
The Wrappers & Assembly
- 1 pack Mandu skins (approx. 50 circular wrappers; look for 'thin' variety)
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch (for dusting the tray)
- 1/4 cup Water (in a small bowl for sealing)
The Dipping Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) (optional for heat)
- 1 teaspoon Toasted sesame seeds
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the vegetables: Mince the Napa cabbage and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze firmly with your hands or a kitchen towel to remove all excess water. This prevents soggy dumplings.
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2
Prep the tofu: Wrap the mashed tofu in a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible until it is crumbly and dry.
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3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, squeezed cabbage, dry tofu, chopped shiitake mushrooms, garlic chives, minced garlic, and grated ginger.
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4
Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, and the beaten egg to the bowl. Use your hands to mix the filling thoroughly in one direction until the mixture becomes slightly tacky and well-incorporated.
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5
Set up your assembly station: a clean workspace, the bowl of filling, the wrappers (keep them covered with a damp towel), a small bowl of water, and a baking sheet dusted with cornstarch.
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6
Place a wrapper in the palm of your hand. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center. Do not overfill, or the skin may tear during cooking.
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7
Dip your finger in the water and run it along the edge of the top half of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half to create a semi-circle, pressing the edges together firmly to seal. You can create small pleats for a traditional look.
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8
For 'Kko-ma' (small) mandu, you can bring the two corners of the semi-circle together and overlap them, sealing with a drop of water to create a round, hat-like shape.
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9
Place the finished dumpling on the cornstarch-dusted tray and repeat until all filling is used.
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10
To pan-fry: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place dumplings in a single layer and fry for 2 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.
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11
Carefully pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet and immediately cover with a lid. Let them steam for 4-5 minutes until the water has evaporated and the pork is cooked through.
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12
Remove the lid and cook for another 1 minute to re-crisp the bottoms. For steaming only: place in a bamboo steamer over boiling water for 8-10 minutes.
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13
While the mandu cook, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochugaru, and sesame seeds in a small bowl for the dipping sauce.
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14
Transfer the hot mandu to a platter and serve immediately while the skins are supple and the filling is juicy.
💡 Chef's Tips
The secret to great Mandu is removing moisture; always squeeze your cabbage and tofu until they are as dry as possible to avoid 'leaky' dumplings. If you aren't cooking them immediately, freeze them on a tray first before transferring to a bag; this prevents them from sticking together. Don't overwork the pork filling or it can become tough; mix just until the ingredients are distributed and the texture is uniform. Use a damp paper towel to cover your stack of wrappers while working so they don't dry out and crack.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside a bowl of Danmuji (Korean yellow pickled radish) to cleanse the palate between bites. Pair with a chilled glass of Barley Tea (Boricha) or a crisp Korean lager like Cass or Hite. Drop these into a simmering pot of anchovy broth with sliced rice cakes to make 'Tteok-Mandu-Guk' (Rice cake and dumpling soup). Serve as an appetizer before a main course of Bibimbap or Bulgogi.