Korean Mandu

These plump Korean dumplings hide a juicy filling of pork, cabbage, and slippery glass noodles inside tender wheat wrappers. Pan-fried, steamed, or boiled, mandu are irresistible with a tangy soy-vinegar dip. They freeze like a dream for instant meals.

Prep time

40 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

1 hour

Servings

6 servings

Calories

330

Ingredients

• 40 round mandu or gyoza wrappers, kept covered
• 300g ground pork
• 200g napa cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, for the cabbage
• 50g dried glass noodles (dangmyeon), cooked and roughly chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Small bowl of water, for sealing
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon sesame oil, for dipping
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for the dipping sauce

Instructions

1. Toss the chopped cabbage with the salt and rest for 10 minutes, then squeeze out every drop of liquid with your hands or a clean tea towel.
2. Combine the pork, squeezed cabbage, glass noodles, spring onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Mix vigorously in one direction for 2 minutes until the filling turns sticky and cohesive.
3. Place a wrapper in your palm and spoon 1 tablespoon of filling into the center. Moisten the edge with water, fold in half, and pinch pleats along one side to seal.
4. Arrange the finished mandu on a floured tray without touching, and keep the unused wrappers covered so they do not dry out.
5. To steam: line a steamer with cabbage leaves or parchment and steam over boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. To pan-fry: sear in an oiled skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, add 80ml water, cover, and steam for 5 minutes, then uncover and crisp the bases.
6. Stir together the dipping sauce ingredients and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
7. Serve the mandu piping hot with the dipping sauce.
8. To freeze, arrange uncooked mandu on a tray until solid, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months — cook straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.

Pro tips

• Squeezing the cabbage truly dry is the key to juicy filling that does not leak or make the wrappers soggy.
• Do not overfill — a scant tablespoon seals easily and cooks through evenly.
• Freeze mandu before cooking, not after, for the best texture when reheated.
• Keep a damp tea towel over the wrappers and finished dumplings as you work to stop them drying and cracking.

Frequently asked questions