Steamed pork mandu

Method

1. 01

   Salt and drain the cabbage

   Toss chopped cabbage with 4 g salt and rest 15 minutes. Wrap in a clean towel and squeeze until no more liquid drips; wet cabbage would loosen the filling.

   

2. 02

   Blanch and dry the sprouts

   Blanch sprouts in boiling water for 2 minutes, cool in cold water, and squeeze firmly. Chop to 1 cm so long strands cannot pierce the wrappers.

   

3. 03

   Press the tofu dry

   Crumble tofu into a clean towel and squeeze repeatedly until its weight is about 170 g. Break the dry curds finely with fingers.

   

4. 04

   Mix the pork filling

   Combine pork, tofu, cabbage, sprouts, chives, 25 ml soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, remaining 4 g salt, and pepper. Stir in one direction for 2 minutes until tacky.

   

5. 05

   Cook a safety tester

   Steam 20 g filling in a small heatproof dish for 6 minutes, until it reaches 74°C. Taste it only after that point and adjust the raw filling with no more than 5 ml extra soy sauce if needed.

   

6. 06

   Set up a covered wrapping station

   Place wrappers under a barely damp towel, filling over an ice pack, and 60 ml water beside the board. Work with only four wrappers exposed at a time.

   

7. 07

   Measure every portion

   Place 22 g filling in the centre of each 9 cm wrapper. Keep a clean 1.5 cm border and do not press filling onto the sealing edge.

   

8. 08

   Seal without trapped air

   Moisten half the rim, fold into a half-moon, press out air from the filling outward, and pinch the seam firmly. Place seam-up under a dry towel and repeat to make 40.

   

9. 09

   Prepare a strong steam

   Bring 1.5 L water to a full boil under the steamer. Line the basket with perforated parchment and leave open holes around its edge so steam can circulate.

   

10. 10

    Load the first batch

    Arrange 20 mandu in one layer with at least 1 cm between them. Cover immediately and start timing only when strong steam escapes from the lid edge again.

    

11. 11

    Steam to 74°C

    Steam the first batch for 10–12 minutes without opening. Check the centre of the largest mandu reaches 74°C and the wrapper is translucent and tender; add 2 minutes if either test fails.

    

12. 12

    Steam the second batch

    Transfer the first batch to a clean rack without stacking. Refill the base with boiling water if below one-third, restore full steam, and cook the remaining 20 to the same 74°C standard.

    

13. 13

    Mix individual dipping sauce

    Mix the remaining 10 ml soy sauce with 10 ml rice vinegar and divide among five dishes. Do not pour sauce over the mandu, which would soften the wrappers.

    

14. 14

    Rest briefly and serve

    Rest each batch uncovered for 3 minutes so the skins stop sticking, then serve 8 mandu per person with dipping sauce. Keep raw-filling utensils away from the serving area.