As stated in my Rochester MN Moms Blog bio, eating Korean food is one of my hobbies. That’s right, I listed eating as a hobby. You see, food is a love language in my house. Cooking food for someone or inviting people over for dinner is a huge way I express my appreciation and love. There’s just something about gathering people and feeding them a home cooked meal that makes me all tingly inside. And better yet, when I cook Korean food, I feel like I’m sharing a very special part of myself with them. I say that because I am a proud South-Korean-born, Midwest-American-raised adoptee. And cooking is one way I connect to my heritage.
I have very fond childhood memories of my early experiences cooking Korean food at Korean Culture Camp in Minneapolis, MN. Although there were many awesome activities during the weeklong camp, the cooking (and eating) was always the highlight for me. Because–Korean food! One particular dish that we made was mandu, which is a Korean dumpling that is best described as tiny bites of heaven. This also happens to be one of my favorite dishes to cook with my kids for two reasons; one, the aforementioned bites of heaven and two, cooking is a way I can pass down a legacy of learning about our Korean heritage. Hopefully someday they will pass on the tradition to their kids.
I’m going to give you a sneak peek of what it’s like cooking with my family. First things first, I make a plan of action. I prep my ingredients and have all the supplies laid out and ready to go.
We create an assembly line like process so that things run as smooth as possible. Everyone has their job. The kids assemble the dumplings and Mom is in charge of the frying. Dad’s job? Well, Dad is very good at sampling for quality control.
Mandu {Korean Dumplings}:
1/4 pound ground beef
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon veggie oil (I like sunflower oil)
1/2 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
3/4 cup cabbage, shredded (I buy the coleslaw shred that also has carrots)
1/2 cup bean sprouts, chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
A dash of black pepper
25 wonton skins (found in the cold produce section of most grocery stores)
1 egg
1 cup veggie oil
Instructions:
Brown the beef in a large frying pan or wok. Make sure the beef is broken into small pieces. Drain off the fat and set the meat aside in a small bowl. Wash and dry the frying pan.
Heat 1 tablespoon veggie oil over high heat for 1 minute. Add the onions and sauté 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Add the cabbage to the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for an additional 2 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Add the bean sprouts and green onions and cook for an another 2 minutes. Once the veggie mixture is nice and tender, pour into a colander and drain the excess liquid. In a large bowl, combine the veggie mixture, beef, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Beat the egg in a small dish. This will be the egg wash that acts like glue to hold the wonton together once it’s folded. Place a wonton skin on a flat surface. (Make sure to keep the other wontons covered under a slightly damp paper towel or cloth so they won’t dry out.) Using a pastry brush, “paint” the outer edge of the wonton with the egg wash. Place about 1-2 tablespoons of the meat and veggie filling into the center of the wonton. Fold the wonton in half on the diagonal so as to create a triangle shape. Press the edges together to seal in the filling. Repeat with the remaining wontons. Keep the dumplings covered with a damp paper towel until you’re to fry them. *Note: Do not stack them on top of one another or else they will stick together.
In a large frying pan or wok, heat 1 cup oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Carefully place 4 or 5 dumplings along the bottom of the pan and fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Using a tongs, turn and cook another 2 minutes or until golden brown on the other side. *Note: I like to place the dumplings on a cooling rack lined with paper towel to drain off the excess oil.
Keep fried dumplings warm in a 200 degree oven. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce!
