An enduring memory I have from being a child is sitting with my mother and siblings at the kitchen table, with the lacquer blue tray in front of me to hold the dumplings (or “mandu” in Korean) that we were making. There was plenty of Korean food on our table growing up. But there was also a good amount of American food. I lost my mom very suddenly to brain cancer when she was 66. She died much too young, and now, as a holistic nutritionist, I often think of her diet and the role it played in her health. Read more on The Fold Magazine.
This traditional New Year’s Day recipe uses naturally gluten-free ingredients, including Korean vermicelli with sweet potato starch as the only ingredient, and tamari, a byproduct of miso production that has a richer flavor than standard soy sauces that often contain wheat. I eat almost exclusively gluten-free, to avoid the inflammatory response that gluten causes in my body. For the dumpling wrappers, I make my own from scratch with gluten-free all purpose flour. It takes a little longer, but the feeling I have after a bowl of this soup -- satiated and nourished instead of bloated and tired -- is well worth the extra effort. I also serve with a side of kimchi, not only for its delicious flavor and extra veggies, but also because fermented foods with probiotics are good for my gut.
Mandu
Makes approximately 50 dumplings
Ingredients:
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup cooked Korean vermicelli (sweet potato starch noodles, aka dangmyeon)
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp minced peeled ginger root
4 scallions, finely chopped
6 oz firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup cabbage kimchi with juice, chopped
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp black pepper
1 package dumpling wrappers (or make your own, recipe below)
For the dipping sauce:
½ cup tamari
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 scallion, finely chopped
½ tsp of toasted sesame seeds
Directions:
Blanch mung bean sprouts in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until cool enough to touch. Squeeze as much of the water from the sprouts as possible, chop, and set aside.
Cook Korean vermicelli noodles according to package instructions, drain, cool, chop into bite size pieces, and set aside.
In a skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat and saute the onions until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and scallions and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Set aside to cool.
Add sprouts, vermicelli noodles, tofu, beef, kimchi, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix with your hands until smooth and ingredients are evenly distributed.
Place a small bowl of water on your work surface. Lay dumpling wrapper flat. Dip your finger into the water and wet the rim of the wrapper. Spoon about a tablespoon of the filling into the center, then bring the sides of the wrapper together, pinching tightly with your thumb and index finger to seal.
Set dumplings aside on a parchment paper-lined tray or baking sheet and continue folding the remaining dumplings to form a single layer on your trays. You can use immediately, or put the trays in the freezer overnight and then transfer to freezer-safe bags.
Gluten-Free Dumpling Wrappers
Makes 50 wrappers
Ingredients:
3 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour)
1 cup boiling water
3 Tbsp cold water
Directions:
Place the flour in a large bowl and slowly stir in the boiling water. Then add the cold water and mix until well combined. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for several minutes until soft and smooth. Divide in half and then roll into 2 cylinders (about 1 inch in diameter). Cover the cylinders with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
Cut each of the cylinders into 25 rounds, covering them with plastic wrap after each slice so they don't dry out. Roll each round into a ball. Then on a lightly floured work surface, flatten each ball into a 3-inch-wide disk with your hand or a small rolling pin.
Tteok Mandu Guk (Rice Cake Soup with Dumplings)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
8oz beef brisket, trimmed of fat and sliced into thin pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
16 mandu dumplings, fresh or frozen
1 Tbsp fish sauce
4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus more for garnish
1 pound sliced rice cakes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp tamari
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 sheet roasted seaweed, crushed (optional)
Directions:
Bring 7 cups of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add the beef and garlic and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse the rice cakes in cold water, separating any that are sticking together. Let soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
Add the mandu, fish sauce, and scallions to the soup and bring back to a boil.
Add rice cakes and simmer until the rice cakes are floating to the top, about 5 minutes.
Pour the egg in a slow steady stream into the broth. Wait 30 seconds and then stir. Add sesame oil, tamari, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
Garnish with additional scallions and optional seaweed and serve immediately, adding more tamari or salt to taste.