Street-Style Mandu Dumplings (South Korea)
This Street-Style Mandu Dumplings Recipe brings the flavors of South Korea’s bustling food markets straight to your kitchen. Each dumpling is packed with a signature blend of kimchi, pork, tofu, noodles, and aromatics, folded in tender dough and cooked until crisp and golden.
This Street-Style Mandu Dumplings Recipe from Global Street Eats with Devan Rajkumar brings the sizzling flavors of South Korea’s street markets right into your kitchen. These crispy, juicy, pan-fried dumplings capture the essence of authentic Korean street food.
The Inspiration
From Seoul’s night markets to coastal food stalls, mandu are a South Korean street food staple that reflects both comfort and craftsmanship. While dumplings exist throughout Asia, Korea’s version stands out for its depth of flavor and creativity.
Devan Rajkumar, during his Global Street Eats trip to South Korea, learned that every vendor has their personal spin — some go spicy with kimchi, others mild with glass noodles and vegetables. What ties them together is community: the sizzling sound of dumplings frying on a flat grill, the warmth that greets you on cold evenings, and the shared joy of eating these bites hot from the pan.
Ingredients
For the Dumpling Dough:
- ¾ cups (3.5 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 fl oz warm water
For the Filling:
- 2 oz dangmyeon (sweet potato noodles) cooked and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 cup (240ml) kimchi, chopped well
- 8 oz firm tofu, drained and crumbled
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup (120ml) rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, chopped fine
- 3 scallions, chopped fine
- 4 garlic chives, chopped fine
- 1 tbsp (14.8ml) garlic, grated
- 1 tbsp (14.8ml) ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp (14.8ml) dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp (9.9ml) sesame oil
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp (1.2ml) white pepper
For the Dipping Sauce:
- ¼ cup (60ml)soy sauce
- 2 tbsp (29.6ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tsp (9.9ml) gochugaru chili flakes
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) toasted sesame seeds
- 1 scallion, sliced thin
- 1 tbsp (14.8ml) Neutral oil for frying such as vegetable or canola oil
Methods
Make the Dumpling Dough:
- Mix together flour and water in a bowl until they come together. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Roll the dough into a tube, wrap with plastic wrap, and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Make the Filling:
- Add all the filling ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly to form a paste.
Make the Dipping Sauce:
- Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and gochugaru in a small bowl. Top with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallion.
Make the Dumplings:
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Working one at a time and keeping the other dough pieces covered with plastic wrap, roll out a piece of dough to form an 8 inch circle. Place about ½ cup of filling on the bottom half of the dough circle and fold the top half over. Seal the dough edge in a half circle. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil in a large cast iron skillet or flat top grill pan over medium heat. Working in batches, add the dumplings to the pan and cook until they are browned and crispy on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the dumplings and cook on the other side, about 5 minutes longer.
- Serve with dipping sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Street-Style Mandu Dumplings as an appetizer, snack, or paired with bibimbap or ramyeon for a comforting meal. Add cold Korean soju or iced barley tea for an authentic pairing.
For presentation, stack the dumplings in alternating layers with slices of chili and sesame seeds—drizzle a little sauce over the plate for vibrant contrast. Whether shared at gatherings or savored solo, these dumplings bring all the joy and flavor of South Korea’s dynamic street food culture to your table.
When making this Mandu Dumplings Recipe, be sure to rest the dough to achieve the perfect elasticity for folding and frying—an essential step in authentic South Korean street food recipes.
Final Thoughts
This Street-Style Mandu Dumplings Recipe embodies everything Global Street Eats represents: authentic flavor through approachable technique. Under Devan Rajkumar’s direction, each step is an exploration of balance—between crispy and tender, spicy and savory, traditional and modern.
Crisp on the outside, juicy within, and packed with bold, dynamic flavor, these dumplings capture the very essence of Korean street food culture. Take a bite, and you’ll taste Seoul’s vibrant energy from your own kitchen—a simple joy, folded by hand.