Yachae Mul Mandu (v) Recipe
Make Yachae Mul Mandu (v) Recipe in just 1h 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Dumpling wrappers
Vegetable filling
Serving / Dipping sauce
Method
Dumpling wrappers
- 1
Prep wrappers
Arrange 40 round dumpling wrappers on a lightly floured surface, keeping a damp towel over unused wrappers to prevent drying. Mix 2 tbs all-purpose flour with 4 tsp water to make a thin slurry; set aside for sealing any edges that resist sticking.
Vegetable filling
- 2
Prepare cabbage
Core and thinly slice cabbage. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, blanch the cabbage 30–45 seconds until slightly softened, then drain and immediately rinse under cold water. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible and finely chop to measure 3 cups.
- 3
Prepare spinach
Blanch the spinach in the same boiling water for 15–20 seconds until wilted. Drain, plunge into cold water, squeeze out excess moisture tightly, and chop roughly to yield 1 cup.
- 4
Prepare other vegetables
Grate the zucchini and place in a clean towel or fine mesh; squeeze out and discard excess water until zucchini measures about 1 cup. Julienne the carrot to equal 1 cup. Finely chop shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice scallions (green parts). Mince garlic.
- 5
Prepare tofu
Crumble pressed extra-firm tofu into small pieces. If tofu is very wet, press further in a towel to remove moisture so it blends well with the filling.
- 6
Cook filling lightly & combine
Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped shiitake and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add carrot, zucchini and scallion; sauté 2–3 minutes just to soften. Add chopped cabbage and spinach, and cook 1–2 minutes until everything is heated through. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- 7
Season and mix filling
Transfer cooked vegetables to a large bowl. Add crumbled tofu, 2 tbs soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sugar, 3 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional). Mix thoroughly, taste and adjust seasoning. The final filling should be well-seasoned and relatively dry—if too wet, squeeze in a towel to remove excess moisture.
Assembling and cooking
- 8
Fill wrappers
Place a wrapper on your palm or a flat surface. Spoon about 1 heaping tsp to 1 tbs (roughly 12–15 g) of filling into the center of each wrapper. Wet the wrapper edge lightly with the flour slurry or water. Fold wrapper in half over filling and press edges to seal, forming a half-moon. Optional: pleat the edge for a traditional look. Repeat until all wrappers are filled (about 35–40 dumplings). Keep finished dumplings covered with a damp towel.
- 9
Pan-steam (preferred for mul mandu to lightly set)
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1–2 tsp vegetable oil, swirling to coat. Arrange dumplings in a single layer, flat side down, leaving space between them. Fry 1–2 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden. Carefully pour in 1/4 cup water (60 ml) — enough to create steam but not more than the pan can handle — and immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam 3–4 minutes until wrappers are tender and filling is heated through. Remove lid and continue cooking 30–45 seconds to evaporate remaining water and re-crisp bottoms if desired. Transfer dumplings to a tray to cool slightly.
- 10
Chill for mul mandu
Allow cooked dumplings to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate uncovered for 20–30 minutes to chill and firm slightly (mul mandu are often served chilled in broth or cold). For a chilled service, place dumplings in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. If serving warm, skip chilling.
Serving / Dipping sauce
- 11
Make dipping sauce
Whisk together 3 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp gochugaru or a few drops of chili oil, sliced scallion and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl. Taste and adjust acidity or salt to preference.
- 12
Serve
Arrange chilled mul mandu on a shallow dish. Serve with the dipping sauce on the side. Optional: serve over cold light vegetable broth (mul) with sliced cucumber and julienned Korean pear for a traditional cold dumpling presentation.