How to make meat mandu, kimchi mandu, and vegetable mandu at home with a meat grinder

Mix the Dough

Put 250gr of dry flour into a large bowl, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and mix well. Then, gradually add 160ml of filtered water while stirring with a spoon until the flour absorbs all the water.

Next, knead the dough by hand for a few minutes until it becomes softer and smoother. If it can be shaped into a ball, place the dough in a plastic bag or bowl and cover tightly to prevent air exposure, allowing the dough to rest for 10 – 30 minutes at room temperature.

Shaping the dough wrappers

Take the dough out of the bag. At this point, the dough will be softer, moister, and easier to handle. You knead the dough by hand for another 5 – 7 minutes until the dough forms a smooth, elastic ball.

Place the dough on a cutting board sprinkled with a little flour, then proceed to cut and divide the dough into equal small pieces. Next, use a rolling pin to roll each piece of dough into a round shape with a diameter of 14 – 15 cm. The edges of the dough should be thinner than the center, as when wrapping mandu, the edges will be pressed together and do not need to be too thick.

The wrappers after rolling can be used to make mandu immediately or can be stored in the freezer refrigerator by using plastic wrap to create a separating layer between the wrappers. This method helps you preserve the wrappers for up to 1 month.

When needed, just take the wrappers out of the fridge and let them thaw at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes.

Stir-fry Beef

After buying the beef, wash it thoroughly, then cut it into medium pieces. Peel the garlic and ginger as well. Place the beef, ginger, and garlic into the meat grinder to grind finely.

Next, transfer the ground meat into a bowl, add 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper.

Heat a pan on the stove, add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the meat, stir-frying until the meat is no longer pink, then transfer it to a large mixing bowl.

Mix mandu filling

Place a pot on the stove, add 1.5 – 2 liters of water, and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the vermicelli, cover the pot, and boil over medium heat for 7 – 8 minutes. When the vermicelli is soft, remove it, rinse with cold water, then drain, and cut into small pieces about 1cm long.

Chop the onion finely, and chop the chives and kimchi into small cubes. Squeeze the tofu to remove excess water.

Add all the prepared ingredients to the bowl with the beef, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper. Mix the ingredients thoroughly by hand or with a spoon until everything is well combined.

Shaping the mandu

First, sprinkle a little dry flour on your hands and rub it evenly to make it easier to mold the dumplings. You can use homemade mandu wrappers or buy pre-made wrappers. Place the wrapper on your hand and add the filling in the center, just enough to leave about 1 – 1.5cm from the edge.

Next, carefully fold the edges of the wrapper vertically and shape it as desired. Be sure to gently pinch the edges of the dough so that the dumpling edges stick together tightly.

Final Product

Once the mandu is shaped, you can either steam it or fry it crispy with a little cooking oil.

With this method of making mandu, you will get a batch of mandu with a harmonious filling that combines the rich, sweet flavor of meat and onion, the mild sourness of kimchi, and a slight sharpness from the chives. The combination of vegetables in the filling will provide a unique crunchy texture when enjoying.

If you are a fan of Korean kimchi and dishes like mandu, dumplings, dim sum, etc., you definitely won’t want to miss this filling recipe.

Sautéing pork

After washing the pork with coarse salt and fresh lemon, cut it into small pieces and then put it into a meat grinder to mince finely.

Heat a pan on the stove, add the minced meat to the pan and sauté over medium heat until cooked. Mince garlic and ginger, then add them to the pan to sauté with the meat, seasoning with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper.

When the meat is cooked, turn off the heat, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, mix well and transfer the meat to a large bowl.

Prepare other ingredients

Zucchini should be washed clean with water, then cut off the yellow stem end and shred it into small strands, while the onion will be diced. Place the onion and zucchini in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of coarse salt, mix well, and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.

Place a pot on the stove, add about 1.5 – 2 liters of water, and bring to a boil. When the water boils, add the vermicelli and cook until done for 7 – 8 minutes, then remove and cut into small pieces.

Wash the chives thoroughly, drain, and chop finely. Blanch the bean sprouts briefly in boiling water, then rinse with clean water and squeeze out excess water.

Add the vermicelli, chives, and bean sprouts to the bowl along with the meat.

Mixing the mandu filling

Zucchini and onion after being salted for 10 minutes will release water, you will proceed to squeeze out all the water. Next, place a pan on the stove, add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil into the pan. When the oil is hot, add the zucchini and onion to stir-fry, mixing well for 1 – 2 minutes, when you see the zucchini starting to cook, turn off the heat.

You pour the stir-fried zucchini and onion into the meat bowl. The white tofu should be wrapped in a cloth and squeezed to remove excess water, then add it directly to the filling bowl.

You season the filling bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, mixing everything well.

Shaping the mandu

Prepare a small bowl of water and a large tray lined with parchment paper. Take a piece of dough, place it in the palm of your hand, then use your finger dipped in water to wet the edges of the dough for easier sealing.

Next, add about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half and seal the edges tightly, placing the dumplings on the tray, keeping some distance so they do not stick together.

Final Product

After shaping the mandu, you can steam them, cook them in egg soup, or fry them until golden and crispy.

With this method of making mandu, you will have dumplings filled with fragrant, rich, and juicy stuffing. The pork is tender; vegetables like zucchini and bean sprouts create a delightful crunch when enjoyed; chives will add a distinctly attractive flavor to the filling.

Sautéing Shiitake Mushrooms

To prepare fresh shiitake mushrooms, first, gently rinse the mushrooms under cold running water to remove any dirt, and avoid soaking them in water for too long as mushrooms can absorb water, losing their crispness and natural flavor. Then, use a knife to cut off the hard stem or scrape off the soil if the stem is soft.

Next, chop the shiitake mushrooms into small cube-sized pieces. Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and then add the shiitake mushrooms to sauté until cooked. When the mushrooms start to cook and release their aroma, season with 1/2 or 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, stir a few times, and then transfer the shiitake mushrooms to a bowl.

Making vegetable filling

The dried vermicelli should be soaked in cold water for 5 minutes until soft.

Put a pot of water on the stove; when the water boils, add the bean sprouts and blanch for 1 – 2 minutes. Once the bean sprouts are cooked, remove them and rinse with clean water, then squeeze out the excess water. Next, chop the bean sprouts into small pieces.

Using the boiling water from blanching the bean sprouts, add the soaked vermicelli and cook for 5 – 6 minutes until the vermicelli is soft, then remove and chop into small pieces. Combine the bean sprouts and vermicelli with the shiitake mushrooms.

Next, squeeze out the excess water from the tofu, then mash it and add it to the filling bowl. Also, chop the chives and add them in.

Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1 tablespoon of Korean chili powder, and 1/3 teaspoon of salt, mix the mixture well, then taste and adjust according to personal preference.

Shaping the mandu

Prepare a small bowl of water. Place the mandu wrapper on your hand, use your finger to dampen a bit of water and evenly apply it to the edge of the wrapper, then add a little filling in the center of the wrapper and skillfully fold it into any desired shapes. Be sure to press the edges tightly so that the mandu does not open when frying or steaming.

Final product

After shaping the mandu, place them in a pot to steam for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Alternatively, you can also fry the mandu with a little oil to get an even golden crust.

With this method of making vegetable mandu, you will have pure vegan mandu, perfect for vegetarian meals when you’re unsure what to make.