Savory Beef Mandu, Gochujang Glaze (Print Page)
Pan-fried beef mandu with napa cabbage and aromatics, finished with a glossy sweet-spicy gochujang glaze.
# What You Need:
→ Mandu Filling
01 - 10.5 ounces ground beef
02 - 1 cup napa cabbage, finely chopped
03 - ½ cup onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
07 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
09 - 1 tablespoon mirin
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1 large egg
→ Assembly
13 - 30 round dumpling wrappers
14 - Small bowl of water for sealing
→ Sweet Gochujang Glaze
15 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
16 - 2 tablespoons honey
17 - 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
18 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
19 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
20 - 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
21 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
→ Cooking
22 - 2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil
23 - ¼ cup water for steaming during frying
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, napa cabbage, onion, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, black pepper, and egg. Mix thoroughly by hand or with a spoon until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the mixture holds together.
02 - Place a dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand. Spoon approximately 1 rounded teaspoon of filling into the center. Dip your finger in water and moisten the outer edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over into a half-moon shape and pinch the edges firmly to seal, creating small pleats along the edge if desired. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
03 - In a small saucepan, combine the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Place over low heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze thickens slightly and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the mandu in a single layer without overcrowding. Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms turn golden brown and crisp.
05 - Carefully pour ¼ cup of water into the skillet and immediately cover with a lid. Steam for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking until all the water evaporates and the bottoms regain their crispness, about 1 to 2 additional minutes.
06 - Transfer the cooked mandu to a serving plate. Drizzle or brush generously with the warm gochujang glaze. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately while hot and crispy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The gochujang glaze is sticky, sweet, and just spicy enough to make your lips tingle without scaring anyone away.
- Pan frying then steaming gives you that impossible contrast: shatteringly crisp bottoms and tender, juicy filling inside.
- These freeze beautifully, so you can make a double batch and have a quick meal ready any night of the week.
02 -
- Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in batches if needed because Mandu need space to crisp properly and they will stick together if touching.
- Keep unused wrappers under a damp paper towel at all times because they dry out fast and crack when you try to fold them.
- The glaze thickens as it sits, so reheat it gently with a splash of water if it has cooled too much.
03 -
- Taste the raw filling by cooking a tiny flattened patty in the skillet before you fold all thirty dumplings, this lets you adjust seasoning without wasting an entire batch.
- A thin line of water along only one half of the wrapper edge makes sealing easier and prevents the wrapper from becoming too wet to pleat.