Dak Mandu
Mandu (만두) are Korean steamed dumplings.
It is a very ancient preparation that would place them in the fourteenth century when the Mongol incursion on the Korean peninsula determined the consumption of meat, contrary to the Buddhist precepts observed at that time.
Mandu are usually prepared with pork, pheasant, beef or chicken (dak) and can be cooked in different ways (with oil in a pan, boiled in water or steamed). Steam cooking is the most common. There are therefore several variations, especially in North Korea where each region has its own recipe.
For this recipe I wanted to use chicken previously cooked for an hour with ginger, spring onion and kombu seaweed, to make it more tender and tasty. You can also use it raw. I also added the accompanying sauce (choganjang), fabulous to dip the mandu just removed from the bamboo basket.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 whole chicken breast
- 200 gr of cabbage (or Chinese cabbage or savoy cabbage)
- 1 spring onion
- 1 large slice of ginger
- 1/2 sachet of yeast (or dry yeast)
- 260 gr of flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
- 4 tablespoons of soy sauce
PREPARATION
- In a bowl mix the flour with about 140 ml of hot water and the yeast. Add a pinch of salt and knead until a rough "ball" is created. Cover with a cloth and leave to rest at room temperature for about a couple of hours.
- Finely chop the cabbage, spring onion, ginger and chicken. Put these ingredients in a large bowl and add the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Mix carefully. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the refrigerator until use.
- Spread flour on a surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Make a rather thin sheet. Create circles with the help of a pasta bowl.
- Fill the circle of dough with the filling, carefully wetting the edges with cold natural water. The raviolo can be closed to your liking (if it is easier to close them like the Chinese jiaozi), I made the classic Korean closure.
- Put the water to boil in a saucepan and prepare the baskets for steaming by placing parchment paper on the base. Arrange the dumplings inside the baskets, making sure they do not touch each other.
- Steam the dumplings for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOGAJANG
- 1 teaspoon of gochugaru
- 1/2 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
PREPARATION
- Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.
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