1

This recipe for kimchi dumplings (김치 만두) consists of ingredients from two different CSA baskets from Gachi CSA, a few from the supermarket, and kimchi from the WWOOF Korea CEO’s mother-in-law. These dumplings are best made with very old kimchi — the kind you feel you should toss out because it has been in the fridge for a little too long. The kimchi I used to make this batch of dumplings had been fermenting for almost two years, and the CEO was about to toss it out because of how strong it had gotten.

For this recipe, I also decided to buy the wrappers instead of making them. Normally, I would make my own, because I enjoy extra large-sized dumplings, but I realize it is not an easy or feasible task for most people. If you also decide to buy your dumpling or wonton wrappers, the first step before making the filling would be to allow them to thaw since they normally come from the supermarket frozen.

If you have time, I advise allowing them to thaw in the refrigerator, but if you decide to make dumplings last minute, you could leave them in room temperature under plastic wrapping, The plastic wrapping is important for keeping the wrappers moist. If they are allowed to dry, they will crack when folded.

2

For the filling, finely chop the onion, chives, and kimchi along with the garlic and ginger if a grate is unavailable. Add in the tofu by crumbling it with your hands.

Sauté the ground pork in a little oil until it is thoroughly cooked, and set it aside to cool. You can also choose to not pre-cook the pork, but I find that cooking the meat ensures all parts of the filling will be thoroughly cooked when the finished dumpling is steamed.

Kimchi dumplings differ from other dumplings in that they include noodles — dangmyeong or sweet potato starch noodles to be precise. They are chewier than most other noodles and are translucent after being cooked. Despite their odd appearance, they are cooked like any other noodles. Place the dangmyeon in a pot of boiling water until it is al dente — about 2 minutes.