To make the filling

Prepare the pork: Place ground pork in a large bowl. Add 1¼ teaspoons salt, 4 teaspoons of sesame oil, and ¾ teaspoon black pepper. Mix by hand to incorporate the seasonings and breakdown the fat in the pork. Push to one side of the bowl.

Prepare the garlic chives: When preparing the garlic chives, wash (I soak it in a large bowl of water to get all the grit) and dry well before chopping. Place the chives in a small bowl and add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil and mix by hand. (As Maangchi says, the oil coats the chives so they retain their moisture). Place it in the big bowl next to the pork.

Prepare the remaining vegetables: In a small bowl add the chopped shiitake mushrooms and onion. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Mix by hand and add to the big bowl along with the minced garlic.

Prepare the tofu: Squeeze the drained tofu to remove as much moisture as possible. Add to a small bowl along with a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Add to the big bowl next to the chives and vegetables.

Mix the ingredients by hand.

To form the dumplings

Note while making the dumplings, keep the skins and the formed dumplings covered with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.

Put some filling into the center of a mandu skin (do not overfill).

Use your fingertips to apply a little cold water to one half of the wrapper edge.

Fold the wrapper over and press the edges together, gently pressing out the air.

For pan friend mandu – pleat the edges. You may need a little extra water to make the pleats hold their shape.

For mandu for soup – take the end points of the half moon and stick together to form little hats or boats.

Note: once you make the dumplings you need to cook or freeze them right away. The wrapper will absorb moisture from the filling and will be difficult to work with and will likely tear and break. If you want to get a head start, make the filling and refrigerate it until you’re ready to make the mandu.

For pan fried mandu

Heat a pan and add some vegetable oil.

Place mandu in pan, do not over crowd, and turn down the heat to medium low.

When lightly browned on one side, 3-4 minutes, flip over and brown the other side, 1-2 minutes.

Add 3-4 tablespoons of water to the pan and cover. Cook a few minutes more until the water is absorbed and the mandu are golden brown.

Transfer to a plate and serve with your favorite dipping sauce*

For soup mandu

Use in your favorite soup or ramen, cooking for 5-6 minutes to cook the filling through (you may need a little more time if you’re cooking from frozen)