Kimchi Dumplings (Mandu)
Dig into a piping hot bowl of Kimchi Dumplings or Mandu. Juicy, meaty bundles of deliciousness. Cozy, comfort food at its best!
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time6 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Dumplings, Kimchi
Servings: 4 as snack
Calories:
Author: The Subversive Table | Lis Lam
bamboo steamer
Large stock pot
- 1 lb ground pork (regular/medium) (I do not recommend lean pork)
- 1 cup kimchi, well fermented, drained of excess juice (finely chopped)
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 package dumpling wrappers
- 1 package firm or extra firm tofu
Make filling. In a large bowl, add ground pork, kimchi, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Drain tofu and crumble directly on top. Mix thoroughly with fork (or chopsticks) until well combined. Make sure there are no big chunks of tofu.
Make dumplings. Prepare a small bowl of water, dumping wrappers, and meat filling at your work station.
Taking one dumpling wrapper at a time, use your index finger to lightly brush the edge with water. This will act as the "glue" to seal the dumpling while cooking.
Add 1-2 Tbsp of meat filling in the center of the wrapper. Fold in half and seal the edges together. Make sure to remove any air bubbles. Or, crimp the edges to make purse-shaped dumplings. Transfer finished dumplings onto parchment lined baking tray.
To steam dumplings:
Fill a large stock pot with water, about 1/4 full. Bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, arrange dumplings onto parchment lined bamboo steamer tray. The parchment paper will prevent the dumplings from sticking to the bottom. (You can also line with cabbage leaves). Steam dumplings until cooked through, about 6 minutes.
Remove steamer tray to a plate and serve immediately, preferably with chili oil and sprinkling of cilantro.
To boil dumplings:
Fill a large stock pot with water, about 3/4 of the way full. Bring to a roiling boil. Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil. This will prevent the dumplings from sticking to each other.
Add dumplings to the water, being careful not to overfill the pot. Stir carefully with a wooden spoon to prevent dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Boil until cooked through and floating, about 6 minutes.
Remove dumplings with a strainer. Serve immediately, preferably with chili oil and sprinkling of cilantro.
*The final flavor of the dumplings will depend on the age and quality of the kimchi. The older and stinkier the kimchi, the more flavorful when cooked. For this recipe, I recommend old, stinky kimchi that's well fermented. Fresh kimchi that's eaten tableside just won't taste as good.
**To freeze, place on a parchment-lined sheet pan (so they don't stick) and place in the freezer until completely frozen. Transfer to a ziploc baggie and store in the freezer for 1-2 months. To cook frozen mandu, use the same method as cooking fresh dumplings. Add 1-2 minutes to the cook time, as they take longer to cook.