Mama Monday: Mandoo recipe (Korean Dumplings)

Every once in a while, I get a craving for Korean food. I got a few while pregnant and that was hard because Austin doesn't do much Korean, especially South Austin.

But when I left for college, my mom helped me write out some of our family's favorite recipes, including my mom's Mandoo recipe. And guys, you know this one's authentic. Straight from South Korea.

If you've never had mandoo before, you're missing out. It's a pan-fried dumpling stuffed with cabbage, veggies, and meat. I think there's a lot of different fillings you can put in, but this is a good basic recipe. It's not difficult, but does take some time to make. Have a partner to help you fold them to make it go faster.

Mandoo (Korean Dumplings)

Ingredients:
2 cups cabbage, very finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 pound low-fat ground beef
3 carrots, grated
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 eggs
1 package Mandoo skins

Directions:
Place chopped cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Set aside and let it reduce for about half an hour. Then use a mesh strainer to rinse the cabbage and squeeze out any extra water.

 Add beef, carrots, green onions and eggs to the cabbage. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

 Set up an assembly station. Lay out the mandoo skins and add a spoonful of the meat mixture to the center.

 Dip your fingers in a bowl of water and wet all the edges of the mandoo skin.

Fold one side across to the other to make a triangle shape. Press and squeeze to seal.

Put a shallow layer of oil (we used canola) to coat the bottom of a frying pan. Heat on low heat. Cook in small batches, about 7-9 at a time. Cook each side until browned and serve immediately.

We recommend making a batch of fried rice (we like a Benihana copy cat recipe) to go with it. Serve with soy sauce for dipping. Enjoy!