Mandu - Korean Dumpling with Tofu Mushrooms and Asian Chives

I always have this stored at my refrigerator. When I said always... is't mean literally... Even now I still have 20 frozen mandu!

My son & hubby loves this korean dumpling so much, so... I always makes a lot of it when there is time for making mandu. Moreover this is another way to enjoy tofu and shitake mushrooms in a great way! 

Husband and son? They don't know it until I said so! Haha ha! ;)

There's 3 kind of mandu, the fried one (Gunmandu), the steamed one ( Jjinmandu), and the boiled one (Mulmandu).

Mandu served as an appetizer, side dish or even just for snack with a dipping sauce. 

For me? Well... I serve mandu in all category & at any occasion... whenever I want, it's already on the fridge anyway :)

Ingredients:

• 300 gram ground Beef
• 1 cup Asian Chives, chopped
• 150 gram Shitake Mushrooms, chopped
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 package Japanese Silken Tofu
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• Salt, to taste
• Sugar, to taste
• Sesame Oil
• Canola Oil
• Fish Sauce
• Mandu Skin/ Dumpling Skin ( try to use gyoza skin than any regular dumpling skin)

Instructions: 

• Place the ground beef in a big bowl, add 1 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, 1/2 tsp of groudg black paper, Mix by hand until all combine. And set a side the ground beef in a side of a bowl.
• Wash chives until clean, dry with paper/ kitchen towel. Chopped/ sliced 1/2cm long. Put the chives in a small bowl, add 1 tbsp of canola oil, mix them well, put the chives beside the ground beef mixture. (The oil will coat vegetables so that liquid will not come from the chives : tips from Maangchi)
• Place chopped shitake mushrooms & chopped onion in the small bowl, add 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp of sugar, mix well. Add 1 tbsp of sesame oil, mix until combine & transfer the onion & mushrooms into the big bowl.
• Put the tofu in a paper/ kitchen towel, squeeze by hand until the water is come out & the tofu is dry enough. Put in the small bowl, add 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, mix well. Put the tofu in the big bowl.
• In the big bowl, add the chopped garlic, mix all the ingredients well by hand. (you can still add soy sauce more it necessary) 

• Put a 1/2 - 1 tbsp of the filling mixture in the center of the mandu skin. 
• On the half edge of the skin, put a little cold water with your fingertips.

• Fold the skin in half over filling and start to make a ripple shape just the same like you make gyoza , or you can follow another step like maangchi in her video.

• Curve the mandu so there' won't be air left inside. 

• Before you place the mandu in a large pan, cover the pan with a plastic wrap, cover again a plastic wrap upside the mandu before you place another layer, this will prevent your mandu stick to each other. 

• Store the mandu in a freeze 2-3hr. Place the mandu in a airtight container/plastic. You can store your mandu for 2 week in the freeze or you can fry them right away.
• Add 2 tbsp of sesame oil ( or you can just canola oil if you don't like sesame oil too much, I'm a big fan of sesame oil so I use it :D ) in a non-stick pan on medium heat and add the mandu.
• Cover the pan, lower the heat.

• After the bottom of mandu turn golden brown and the skin start to translute, open the lid, and turn over each mandu. 
• Place 2-3 tbsp of water around the mandu, cover the lid again. Cook a few minutes more until the feeling is cooked & golden brown. 
• Place in a plate, serve while still hot with a dipping sauce (vinegar : soy sauce - 1: 1)
• Enjoy! ;) 

I think every country had their own dumpling. In Indonesia, this kind of dumpling called Siomay (the steam one) or Batagor (the fried one), the filling is just fish meat & tapioca powder. 

Japan have their own dumpling, called Gyoza, I rarely make this because my son and hubby prefer mandu, but you can give a sneak peak at my friend blog - Nami from Just One Cookbook. She is a master of Japanese culinary, yes she is! When you visiting her blog just prepare to experience the japanese atmosphere and you can read her post for Gyoza recipe.

What kind of dumpling you serve in your table today... serve with proud & glad, because the dish is the affection of your love for everyone who enjoy it! :)

Stay Healthy and Loves Your Kitchen More! ;) 

Difficulty : Moderate 

Cooking time : 60 minutes 

Adapted from : Maangchi.com

Makes : 40 mandu