Whipping up homemade dumplings is more than just a fun cooking project for me; it brings me back to my Korean roots
There's something special about getting your hands into the dough, prepping the fillings, and shaping each dumpling. It's not just about making a meal; it's about keeping my culture alive in every tasty bite. Plus, let's be honest, they always turn out yummier than anything I've found in a restaurant.
Cooking in general has become my little escape, helping me stay grounded and connected with myself. What happens when we change our perspective from "having" to cook into "getting the chance to cook for ourselves or our family."
Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water, drain, chop, and squeeze out water.
Squeeze out water from the tofu. Using a cheesecloth will make squeezing easier. Finely chop the noodles. Finely chop the onion and squeeze out water. Finely chop the scallions.
Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl.
Place one heaping teaspoonful to a tablespoon of the filling on a wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water or egg wash and seal tightly (pushing the air out with your fingers) into a half-moon shape. (Please feel free to use it here for a half-moon-shaped dumpling. Then, bring the two ends together, apply water or egg wash to one end and press tightly to create a round shape. Repeat this process until all the filling/wrappers are used.
Kimchi mandu can be steamed for 10 minutes in a steamer (12 minutes if frozen). Line the steamer with a wet cheesecloth, paper towel, or cabbage leaves to prevent the mandu from sticking.
