Makes Approximately 100 dumplings

Ingredients

For the Filling

1 lb tofu firm, pulsed finely in food processor

1 medium zucchini, grated mixed with 1 tsp salt
1/2 head of a small cabbage (about 1 lb), finely chopped mixed with 1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp rice bran oil or canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed and finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
1 Tbsp microplaned ginger
1 cup finely grated carrot

1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp salt to season the filling
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
2 Tbsp miso paste
½ tsp gochujaru (Korean chili flakes)

1 egg

To Assemble

1 Tbsp cornstarch + ½ cup water
OR
2 eggs + 2 Tbsp water
2 pkg dumpling wrappers (usually contains 50 wrappers)

To Cook

1 – 2 Tbsp rice bran oil or canola oil
¼ – ½ cup water

For the Dipping Sauce

¾ cup soy sauce
¾ cup rice vinegar
2 tsp sriracha
3 Tbsp sesame oil or hot sesame oil
3 clove garlic, minced
*for a hotter sauce, add 2 tsp gochujang

Instructions

For the Filling

Break up the 1 lb block of tofu into the food processor with your hands and chop for about a minute, stopping in between to mix the tofu. The blended tofu should have the texture of dough or ground meat and should hold together if you make a ball with your hands. Put in bowl and set aside.

In two separate bowls, generously sprinkle salt over chopped zucchini and cabbage and set aside (for at least 15 minutes) while preparing other ingredients. (This process will draw out water, soften the texture, and add flavor.) Squeeze out as much water as possible from salted zucchini and cabbage by hand.

In a medium saute pan, heat to medium high and add oil and onion. Saute until translucent, add shiitake mushrooms, and cook until light brown, for about 3 mins. Add scallions, garlic and ginger and saute a bit more until aromatics are bloomed. Turn off heat and add grated carrot, sesame oil, salt/pepper, chili paste, miso, and chili flakes.

In a large bowl, add all ingredients, the salted vegetables, the tofu, the sauteed aromatics and egg. Mix well. To taste your filling, take about a spoonful of filling and put it in a small bowl and microwave it or heat it on a pan. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

For the Dipping Sauce

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. If you prefer a hotter dipping sauce, add more chili oil or gochujang.

To Assemble

Mix water with cornstarch, this will act as a sealant, you can also use an egg-wash if you prefer. Make sure to cover dumpling wrappers with damp towel so they don’t dry out. Place one heaping teaspoonful of the filling on a wrapper or you can use a #60 scoop. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water/cornstarch or egg/water mix and seal tightly (pushing the air out with your fingers) into a half-moon shape. Repeat this process until all the filling/wrappers are used.

To Cook

For gun mandu (pan fried), heat the pan on medium high with generous amount of vegetable oil (about 2 tablespoons). Add the dumplings, put the lid on the pan and cook 2 – 3 minutes until golden brown. Flip over, add 3 Tbsp of water and put the lid back, cook for about 2 – 3 more minutes. When the mandu is golden brown, transfer to platter and serve with dipping sauce.

For different mandus, mul mandu is boiled and jjin mandu is steamed.