Mandu (Korean Dumplings)
The secret to great mandu is cooking the vegetables first before mixing them with the meat - it concentrates their flavor and gets rid of excess moisture that would make the filling watery. These get pan-fried with a steam finish, so the bottoms are crispy while the tops stay tender.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/2 lb ground shrimp
- 1 package round dumpling wrappers 1-ounce
- 1/2 cup chopped Asian chives
- 1/2 cup chopped napa cabbage
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 2 teaspoons Dashida Korean beef bouillon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook onion 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute. Add cabbage and mushrooms, cook 3-4 minutes until wilted. Cool completely.
- Mix ground pork, shrimp, soy sauce, potato starch, Dashida, and sugar in large bowl for 2 minutes.
- Add cooled vegetables and chives to meat mixture, combine well.
- Place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each wrapper. Wet edges with water, fold into half-moon shape, press to seal.
- Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place mandu in single layer, fry 2-3 minutes until golden.
- Add 1/4 cup water, cover immediately. Steam 5-6 minutes until wrappers are translucent.
- Remove lid, cook 1 minute more to re-crisp bottoms.
- Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, garlic, and sesame seeds for dipping sauce.
Notes
Makes approximately 40-50 dumplings. Can be frozen uncooked for up to 3 months.