1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for frying each batch of mandu)
1/4 cup water (for frying each batch of mandu)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt (for cabbage)
Filling:
3/4 pound ground pork
10 ounces green cabbage, chopped
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ginger, grated
1 egg
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dipping sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Pinch of gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
Directions
In a bowl, sprinkle salt over the chopped cabbage and set it aside for 15 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as possible by hand and transfer the cabbage to a mixing bowl.
Add pork, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, scallions and egg to the mixing bowl with the cabbage.
Add soy sauce, salt and black pepper and mix all the ingredients well. Everything should be sticky and pale in colour.
Place a dumpling wrapper in your non-dominant hand. Use a teaspoon to scoop a little bit of filling and put it in the center of the wrapper. (Note: After opening the dumpling wrappers package, cover them in a damp towel or plastic wrap.) Dip a finger in a bowl of water and draw a circle around the inside perimeter of the wrapper with the wet finger.
Fold the wrapper in half over the filling and pinch it in the center with your fingers.
Using your thumb and index finger, begin pleating along the top of the wrapper with 1/4” spacing in between the pleats.
After making each pleat, squeeze with your right thumb and fold the pleat toward the left side (reverse if you are using your left hand).
Make four to five pleats. Press all the pleats together and shape the mandu.
Over medium, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan.
When the pan is hot, place the mandu in a single layer. Make sure the mandu do not touch each other.
Cook until the bottom of the mandu turns golden brown, about three minutes.
Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Cover the lid and steam the mandu for about three minutes or until most of the water evaporates.
Cook uncovered until the mandu is crisp on the bottom.
Transfer the mandu to a plate and serve with dipping sauce.
