Mandu

The first step is to make the dough. To make the dough one must combine water, flour, and salt in a bowl.  Knead the dough until it is stiff. Make sure that the dough is covered with a damp towel.  This will keep the dough from drying out before used to envelop the meat.[i]

The next step is to prepare the meat.  Some people choose to cook the meat mixture before placing it inside, while others choose to put the meat in raw.  Those who choose to cook the meat can either put it in a frying pan or a wok.  Almost always it is cooked until brown. The majority of meat fillings in dumplings, such as the mantou and manti, are not cooked.[ii]  There doesn’t seem to be a big distinction between the two preparations in taste nor texture.  Either way, the meat must be cut into small even pieces so that it cooks evenly.  This can be done with a knife, or it can be mashed with a fork.  Koreans tend to like lean meat, so to be traditional make sure there is no fat left.  Set it aside for later use.[iii]

The most arduous part of the process is the cooking of the vegetables.  Depending on what vegetables you use, the cooking can be different.  However, if you are making the traditional dumpling with cabbage kimchi and mashed bean curd the first step is to cook mushrooms.  In order to do that, you must add the mushrooms to 4 cups of boiling water. Blanch them for ten seconds or until the mushrooms look wilted.  After they look ready take them out and quickly put them into a bowl of ice-cold water so that they stop cooking.  After soaking, take them out and squeeze out all of the liquid so they aren’t mushy.  Chop them into very fine pieces.  Next bring the water to a boil again and add the cabbage.  Follow the same exact process as you did with the mushrooms, however, the cabbage should blanch for three minutes.[iv]  Combine the cabbage and the mushrooms. Taking your kimchi, squeeze out all of the water, and add it to the cabbage and mushroom mixture.  Take the bean curd and wrap it in a paper towel.  Again squeeze out all of the liquid.  Put the bean curd in the bowl, along with the rest of the ingredients that will be going into the dumpling, including the meat.  Mix it all together until it is smooth and soft.[v]

To put the dumplings together you must have a bowl of wrappers, the stuffing, a teaspoon, a bowl of cold water, a small brush, and two large baking sheets that are sprinkled with flour. Roll the dough out on a table dusted with flour and cut it into small squares or circles, one for each dumpling. Take a wrapper and place it in your palm.  Brush all four edges of the skin with a beaten egg.  Using a teaspoon, spoon in the filling.  It should be about the size of a walnut and placed in the center of the skin.  Make sure that there is enough room (about ½ inch of empty skin) on the outside, so you can fold properly.  Fold the skin in half, either in the shape of a triangle or a half moon (depending on the shape of the wrapper, circle or square).[vi]  Press the edges together tightly using your thumb and index finger.  The edge should resemble a piecrust.  Repeat until all of the wrappers and/or dumpling filling is gone.

To make the traditional mul mandu you will need to boil the dumplings.  Fill a stockpot with 8 heaping cups of water.  Bring it to a boil.  Once the water is boiling, place about ¼ of the dumplings carefully into the pot.  Make sure that the dumplings do not stick to each other when they are placed in.[vii]  Boil the dumplings gently for five to seven minutes, or until the dumplings float to the surface.  Once they have reached the surface take them out gently, letting them cool a bit till served.  Repeat with the rest of the dumplings, till they are all cooked; then enjoy!