Korean Kimchi Pork Crispy Dumplings

Quick answer

Total time: 37 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Kimchi pork gunmandu are pan-fried dumplings with a filling of ground pork, well-drained kimchi, garlic chives, firm tofu, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.

The near-equal ratio of 180g pork to 150g kimchi puts the kimchi's fermented tang front and center. Garlic chives add a sharp, onion-like depth, and the tofu absorbs excess moisture from the filling to prevent wrapper breakage. The dumplings are first pan-fried to crisp the bottoms, then steamed with a splash of water, and finished uncovered to evaporate remaining liquid.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Dumpling wrappers20 eaea

Ground pork180 gg

Kimchi150 gg

Garlic chives50 gg

Firm tofu100 gg

Soy sauce1 tbsptbsp

Minced garlic1 tsptsp

Sesame oil1 tsptsp

Cooking oil1 tbsptbsp

Shop All Ingredients

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Squeeze the kimchi firmly to remove excess liquid, then chop it finely.

Press the 100g firm tofu in a cloth or by hand until it feels dry, and slice the 50g garlic chives into small pieces.
2

Season

Put the 180g ground pork, kimchi, chives, tofu, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a bowl. Mix until the filling looks evenly seasoned and slightly sticky.
3

Step

Place a moderate amount of filling in the center of each of the 20 wrappers.

Lightly wet the edge, press out trapped air as you fold, and seal each dumpling firmly into a half-moon shape.
4

Control

Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a pan over medium heat.

Arrange the dumplings without crowding, cook for about 2 minutes, and check that the bottoms are golden before adding water.
5

Control

Pour 50ml water around the edge of the pan and cover immediately.

Keep the heat at medium for 3 minutes, and do not open the lid so the filling steams through and stays juicy.
6

Finish

Remove the lid and cook about 1 minute more to evaporate remaining moisture.

When the bottoms crisp again and the sizzling sounds lighter, transfer the dumplings to a plate while the wrappers are still firm.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Combining nearly equal parts ground pork and well-drained kimchi creates a savory dumpling filling balanced by the acidic crunch of fermented cabbage and garlic chives.
Finish cue: Arrange the dumplings without crowding, cook for about 2 minutes, and check that the bottoms are golden before adding water.
Avoid this: Keep the heat at medium for 3 minutes, and do not open the lid so the filling steams through and stays juicy.