Authentic Kimchi Mandu (Korean Dumpling) Recipe
Homemade Delicious Kimchi Mandu and Hand-Shaped Dumpling Making
Experience the rich and spicy flavor of aged kimchi with these homemade kimchi mandu (Korean dumplings), along with meat and japchae dumplings! Dumplings made with freshly kneaded wrappers offer a chewy texture that’s a world apart from store-bought ones. Each warm bite bursts with savory meat and tangy kimchi, making them utterly irresistible. The deep, umami-rich taste of aged kimchi will keep you reaching for more. For dinner, enjoy a hearty and comforting bowl of spicy squid and rice cake soup made with these delicious dumplings. Embrace the winter chill with a special homemade dumpling feast right in your cozy home!
Mandu Filling Ingredients- 200g Glass noodles
- 150g Spinach
- 7-8 Shiitake mushrooms
- 2 Onions
- Sesame oil, to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- 150g Minced pork
- 3 Tbsp (3TS) Minced garlic
- A pinch of black pepper
- 500g Aged kimchi (Mu-geunji)
- 400g Tofu
- 2 Tbsp (2TS) Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 50g Chopped green onions
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the mandu filling. Boil the glass noodles, rinse them in cold water, and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Blanch the spinach, squeeze out excess water, and finely chop it. Lightly blanch the shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems, slice them thinly, and stir-fry them lightly in a pan with a little cooking oil. Finely shred the onions and stir-fry them until golden brown in cooking oil. Combine all the cooked ingredients in a bowl, season with salt, and finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for a nutty aroma.
Step 2
In a pan, cook the minced pork. Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, and season with salt and pepper while cooking. It’s important to break up the pork as it cooks to prevent clumping.
Step 3
Rinse the aged kimchi thoroughly in clean water to remove excess sourness and saltiness. Squeeze out all the moisture and chop it finely. Using aged kimchi will give your dumplings a deeper, more delicious flavor.
Step 4
Add the finely chopped, drained aged kimchi to a bowl. Also, add the drained tofu and mix them together. Stir in 2 tablespoons of gochugaru for a spicy kick.
Step 5
Add the pan-fried pork to the bowl containing the kimchi and tofu mixture. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined.
Step 6
Your delicious mandu filling is now complete! Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper if needed.
Step 7
If you are making your own dumpling wrappers, combine 400g of all-purpose flour with water, gradually adding water until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Roll out the rested dough to a thickness of about 3-4mm.
Step 8
Using a round cookie cutter or a glass, cut out uniform circles from the rolled-out dough. This will help create consistently shaped dumplings.
Step 9
Gently roll out the cut wrappers once more with a rolling pin to flatten them slightly. This makes them easier to seal and improves the texture when cooked.
Step 10
Place a moderate amount of the prepared filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper. Be careful not to overfill, as this can make them difficult to seal and prone to bursting.
Step 11
Fold the wrapper in half over the filling and firmly pinch the edges to seal. Shape the dumplings as desired (e.g., half-moon, purse shape).
Step 12
Bring water to a rolling boil in a steamer. Line the steamer basket with a damp cheesecloth or parchment paper and arrange the dumplings, ensuring they don’t touch each other. Cover and steam over high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the dumplings are fully cooked. Adjust steaming time based on the size of your dumplings.
Step 13
If using store-bought dumpling wrappers, choose ones that contain corn starch for an extra chewy texture. If using pre-made wrappers, they can typically be used directly after thawing.
Step 14
Your homemade hand-shaped dumplings or dumplings made with store-bought wrappers are now ready! Enjoy them immediately while they are warm for the best flavor.
Step 15
The dumplings made with store-bought wrappers are shaped long, showcasing the thinness of the wrappers, which are so thin you can almost see the filling through them. This thin wrapper style highlights the delicious filling inside.
