Baechu Mandu (Napa Cabbage Dumplings)
Baechu Mandu (Napa Cabbage Dumplings) is a delicate, dough-free dumpling wrapped in tender napa cabbage leaves. Inspired by a 19th-century Korean cookbook and featured in Jewel in the Palace, this dish highlights seasonal ingredients with a light yet flavorful filling of chicken, shrimp, tofu, and chives. Enjoy it steamed with a tangy mustard dipping sauce or served in a warm, anchovy-based broth for extra comfort. Plus, don’t let the leftover cabbage stems go to waste—turn them into a simple, savory Baechu-namul!
Servings: 14 dumplings
Equipment
- 1 steamer
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 10-11 Napa cabbage leaves excluding the outermost leaves & the core
- water for blanching the cabbage leaves
Filling
- 150 g minced chicken ⅓ lb.
- 100 g tofu
- 1 tablespoon guk-ganjang (Korean light soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon minced ginger
- white pepper to taste optional
- 80 g peeled shrimp meat 3 oz.
- 10 g chives ⅓ oz.
Dipping sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (Korean dark soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar apple cider, rice, or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon mustard paste Korean, Dutch, or French mustard paste
Instructions
Prepare the Wrapper
- Prepare the Napa Cabbage: Trim the leaves to use as dumpling wrappers. Cut off the bottom of the stems. Separate the leaves into individual leaves. The 3 outermost leaves and core can be used for other dishes. We'll need around 10-11 leaves.
- Blanch the Napa Cabbage - 1: Boil a pot of water and add the cabbage leaves. Only submerge the thick stem part and boil for 1 minute.
- Blanch the Napa Cabbage - 2: Submerge the rest and continue to blanch for another minute. Shock the leaves in cold water and drain.
- Lay the leaves flat on a clean kitchen cloth to get rid of excess moisture.
- Stack the cabbage leaves of similar sizes and cut off the thick stem part. For the best taste, it's better to use only the leafy part as thicker stems may dilute the flavors of the filling.
- If a leaf is too big, then simply cut it in half.
Making the Filling
- Mash tofu with the side of the knife until it's soft with no big chunks visible. You can also use potato masher.
- Add it to a bowl with minced chicken and season with guk-ganjang (Korean light soy sauce), sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger and white pepper. Mix until well-combined.
- Roughly chop the shrimp meat, around pea-sized pieces.
- Chop the chives.
- Add shrimp and chives to the filling mix and combine the filling together.
Assembling the Dumpling
- Place leaf backside up and a spoon the filling onto the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf while packing in tightly.
- Roll tightly so that the dumpling holds in shape.
Steaming
- Place the steamer over a boiling pot of water and close the lid. Steam for around 10 minutes. The cooking time differs depending on the size of the dumplings.
Making the Dipping Sauce
- In a bowl, add soy sauce, vinegar, water and sugar. Combine well until all sugar dessolves. Serve with a dash of mustard paste.
How to Eat #1 : Serve with the Dipping Sauce
- For classical version, serve the dumplings with the dipping sauce. The dumplings should be served warm.
How to Eat #2 : Serve in a warm anchovy broth
- Cut the dumplings in half and place in a bowl.
- Serve with anchovy broth seasoned with a dash of guk-ganjang (Korean light soy sauce) and salt.
Making Baechu-Namul (Seasoned Napa Cabbage) with Leftover Stems
- Cut the stems into bite-sized pieces.
- Squeeze out excess water.
- Season with guk-ganjang (Korean light soy sauce), sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds. Salt to taste and minced garlic (¼ teaspoon) is optional.