Kimchi Mandu (Kimchi Dumplings)

Ingredients

• Makes about 40 dumplings
• 40 dumpling wrappers (slightly thick)
• 2 ounces dangmyeon (sweet potato starch noodles, soaked in warm water for about 30 min.)
• 1 cup packed finely chopped kimchi
• 8 ounces tofu
• 10 ounces mung bean sprouts, sukju namul (숙주나물)
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 to 3 scallions
• 8 ounces ground pork or beef (or mix)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger or juiced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon gochugaru (adjust to taste)
• salt to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)
• pepper to taste (about ⅛ teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon Perilla seed oil (in lieu of sesame oil)
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ground perilla seeds

Steps

1. 1

   Finely chop the kimchi and squeeze out excess liquid by hand.

2. 2

   Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water, drain, chop and squeeze out water.

3. 3

   Squeeze out water from the tofu. Using a cheesecloth will make squeezing easier. Finely chop the noodles. Finely chop the onion and squeeze out water. Finely chop the scallions.

4. 4

   Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well by hand.

5. 5

   Place one heaping teaspoonful to a tablespoon of the filling on a wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water or egg wash and seal tightly (pushing the air out with your fingers) into a half-moon shape. (Stop here if you want a half-moon shape dumpling.) Then, bring the two ends together, apply water or egg wash to one end and press tightly to create a round shape. Repeat this process until all the filling/wrappers are used.

6. 6

   Kimchi mandu can be steamed for about 10 minutes in a steamer (12 minutes if frozen). Make sure to line the steamer with a wet cheesecloth, paper towel, or cabbage leaves to prevent mandu from sticking.

7. 7

   For boiling, pan-frying and deep-frying dumplings, see my other mandu recipe.