Korean Mandu
Mandu is one of the oldest dishes in Korean cuisine, similar to Chinese dumplings, and has been widespread in Korea since ancient times. Legend has it that mandu came to the Korean peninsula in the 14th century, during the Yuan Dynasty. Since then, each region has developed its own version: there are steamed, fried, boiled, or even mandu served in soup. The secret to perfect mandu is a properly prepared, moisture-free filling and well-sealed dough. Tip: use the curve of your palm for folding to achieve a beautiful shape without tearing the dough. Mandu is ideal for family gatherings, New Year's celebrations, or any occasion when you want to make something special. It can easily be varied in vegetarian or vegan versions.
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. Afterwards, squeeze it thoroughly to remove excess moisture.
2
Crumble the tofu by hand or mash it with a fork, then wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the moisture. This helps prevent the filling from becoming too soft.
3
Thinly slice the scallions, and grate the garlic and ginger. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, tofu, cabbage, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
4
One by one, fill the mandu wrappers with a teaspoon of filling. Moisten the edges with water, then fold in half and crimp the edges to seal them well. Tip: Do not overfill, as the filling may leak out during cooking.
5
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick 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. Steaming ensures that the wrapper is fully cooked and the filling is cooked through.
7
Once the water has evaporated, remove the lid and let the mandu cook for another 1-2 minutes, so the bottoms become crispy again.
8
Serve with soy sauce for dipping or spicy chili sauce. Before serving, you can sprinkle with sesame seeds or scallions for an even more intense Korean flavor.
