Korean Beef Mandu (Dumplings)
Beef mandu is a classic of Korean cuisine, often featured on festive tables, such as Seollal (Korean New Year). Ground beef gives a characteristic, full flavor to the filling, which is softened and complemented by vegetables and tofu. One of the keys to making mandu is the perfect texture of the filling. Tip: always squeeze the cabbage and tofu so that they are not too moist. This guarantees that the dough will not get soggy and will fry nicely. This recipe is ideal not only for traditional dinners, but also for any everyday meal. You can combine it with rice or soup dishes, but it can also stand alone as a dish served with a dipping sauce.
Ingredients for this recipe
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Preparation Steps
1
Finely chop the Napa cabbage, lightly salt it, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then, thoroughly squeeze out any excess moisture.
2
Crumble the tofu into a bowl, then use paper towels to press out the excess moisture. This helps to achieve a stable filling.
3
Slice the scallions into rings, and grate the garlic and ginger. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, cabbage, tofu, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
4
Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of a mandu wrapper. Moisten the edges with water, fold it in half, and crimp the edges with your fingers to seal well. Do not overfill, so the dumpling doesn't burst during cooking.
5
Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mandu and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.
6
Pour 100 ml of water into the skillet, immediately cover, and steam for 5-6 minutes, until the water has evaporated. This ensures that the filling is cooked through and the wrapper becomes tender.
7
Once the water has evaporated, let the mandu fry for another 1-2 minutes without the lid, so the bottoms become crispy again.
8
Serve warm with soy sauce or spicy dipping sauce. Tip: sprinkle with chopped scallions and sesame seeds before serving.
