Korean dumplings are called mandu (만두). Mandu are made of flour and rolled in a flat circle. Then either vegetables and/or meat are used to fill the dumpling. There are several varieties of mandu.

One of them is called Mul mandu (물만두), which is a type of dumpling that has been boiled in water until the insides are done. Usually the dumplings are boiled under low heat so as to prevent the contents of the dumpling from exploding. Nowadays dumplings are rarely made at home. Most people chose to buy them prepackaged at the grocery store.

Jjin mandu (찐만두) is a type of dumpling that has been steamed in a steam pot. Typically some soy sauce is used as a dipping sauce to accompany the dumplings. Some people prefer jjin mandu because they get super soft without becoming ultra moist like mul mandu. However, the drawback is that when jjin mandu are over steamed, the outside part of the mandu can get hard and become difficult to eat.

When dumplings are fried in a oiled fry pan, they are called gun mandu (군만두). Usually the outer covering of the gun mandu become crispy when fried. The insides of the gun mandu vary, but the most common ingredients tend to be spring onions with either beef or pork. An optional ingredient is vermicelli noodles.

Kimchi mandu (김치만두) is a dumpling where the insides are stuffed with kimchi. Kimchi mandu tend to be spicier than most Korean dumplings. Since the kimchi is already seasoned with garlic, red pepper powder and other ingredients, there is no need to add extra ingredients to the kimchi dumpling. It’s as if two foods (kimchi and dumplings) are packed into one bite.

Yachae mandu (야채만두) is a dumpling that contains only vegetables. This dumpling is great for vegetarians who can’t eat meat. The typical ingredients are leeks, spring onions, spinach, diced carrots, mushrooms and sometimes tofu. Generally it’s a good idea not to stuff the dumpling with a lot of ingredients because they have a tendency to explode. I’d say use a maximum of three ingredients.