Recipe: Golden Mandu (Korean Dumplings)

Golden Mandu (Korea)

Korean Dumplings

Mandu, Korean dumplings, can be boiled in water then served in soups. Or serve them like potstickers by frying them on one side then steaming them until done. Serve fried mandu with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce. If you prefer, you can make the stuffing without tofu (tubu in Korean), substituting ground beef or pork, or even ground turkey instead.

Makes about 50 mandu.

Mandu Filling:
10 ounces firm tofu
8 ounces kimchi, minced
12 ounces extra lean ground beef
2 green onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For Mandu Wrappers and Cooking:
1 package round egg roll wrappers (gyoza)
Vegetable oil
Water

Dipping Sauce (Chojang):
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Make the mandu filling:
1. Wrap the tofu in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze out the excess water. Crumble the tofu into a mixing bowl.

2. Place the kimchi in a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth and press or squeeze to remove excess moisture. Add the kimchi to the bowl.

3. Add the remaining mandu filling ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly. At this point, the mandu mixture may be covered and refrigerated until ready to fill the dumplings. (It will keep as long as one day.)

Stuff and cook the mandu:
1. For best results, line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper, then dust a layer of cornstarch on the waxed paper to keep the mandu from sticking.

2. Set out a small dish of water. Place several dumpling wrappers on a cutting board. Fill each with about 1 teaspoon of filling. Dip your finger in the water and run it over the edge of the dumpling skin. Fold the top over and press to seal, removing as much air as possible. Set the mandu on the prepared baking sheets while you stuff the remaining dumpling skins.

Note: Koreans traditionally curve the mandu into a ring shape, so the ends meet and are sealed with water. This type of shape is ideal for soups, but for fried mandu, I prefer the flatter, half-moon shapes as described above. If you have one of the potsticker gadgets that folds and seals the dumplings in one motion, you'll find the process goes much quicker. You can also freeze the stuffed mandu on a cornstarch-dusted baking sheet to keep them from sticking together, then transfer to an air-tight container and freeze until ready to use.

3. Heat a skillet with just enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom surface. (To speed up the cooking process, use two skillets.) When the oil is very hot, gently place a layer of stuffed mandu in the skillet, being careful not to overlap them. When the mandu are golden brown on the bottom, flip them over. Quickly add 2 tablespoons water to the pan, cover and steam the mandu until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Uncover the pan and place the mandu on a serving dish (you can keep them warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining mandu. Serve the mandu with dipping sauce.

Make the dipping sauce:
Combine all ingredients. Serve the dipping sauce in one communal bowl, or set out one small bowl and plate per person.

Recipes:

Other Links (includes more recipes):

Global Destinations: Korea

Korean Spring Picnic

Korean Beef on Fiery Chinese Cabbage

October 1999 Itinerary...
Kate's Virtual Journey: A Progressive Feast

10/02/99 Japan: Nimble Nibbling
10/09/99 Korea: Mad About the Mandu
10/16/99 Vietnam: From Moon Cakes to Pancakes
10/23/99 Thailand: The Monkey Feast
10/30/99 China: Festival of the Hungry Ghosts

About Kate's Virtual World Tour: A Progressive Feast
From September 1999 to January 2000, this progressive banquet begins with Appetizers in Asia, continues with multiple courses across India, the Middle East, and North Africa, and around Christmas, crosses over to Europe for Desserts in Deutschland. Recipes, country backgrounds, local attractions, and special travel tips make each stop vivid and exciting, as if you were right there, experiencing the journey yourself. These world tour specialties and authentic recipes will inspire you to create your own unique and festive holiday tables, fit for kings and queens. No passport needed, just a fork, a stove and a hearty appetite!

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