Archive for APPETIZERS

Yaki Mandu

Have I mentioned that I love Korean food?  No?  Okay then — I LOVE Korean food.

I have lots of favorites when it comes to Korean cuisine, but this easy appetizer stands out, not just for its flavor, but because of how simple it is to make.  Why buy the frozen stuff when you can make these right in your very own kitchen?

I use ground pork in my recipe, but you can easily substitute the pork with ground beef or chicken, shrimp, or even tofu.

Give my recipe a try — it’s delicious, I promise!

Enjoy!

YAKI MANDU

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Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ground pork
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly
  • 6 shiitake mushrooms, diced
  • 2 tablespoons Dashida Korean beef seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon accent, optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • About 50-75 wonton wrappers

Directions:

1.  Place the pork in a small mixing bowl.

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2.  Wipe any dirt off the mushrooms using a damp paper towel.  *Do not rinse fresh mushrooms.  (If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak in hot water until soft.)  Slice/dice the mushrooms then add to the mixing bowl.

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3.  Thinly slice the green onions then add them to the mixing bowl; mix together.

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4.  Add the garlic, black pepper, sesame oil, Dashida, and soy sauce.

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5.  Place a scoop of filling in the middle of the wonton wrapper.

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6.  Moisten the edge with water.  Fold over, squeezing any air pockets out.  Press the edges together to seal.

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7.  Add a little bit of vegetable oil to a skillet; place over medium heat to heat the oil.

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8.  Turn the heat to medium low.  Fry the yaki madu in the heated oil, turning after a few minutes to ensure even browning.  Fry for about 10 minutes on each side to ensure the raw pork filling is cooked.  Cooking over low heat is key to ensure they don’t burn.

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9.  Drain on paper towels and ENJOY!

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Lumpia

Lumpia is a staple at most Chamorro gatherings.  There are fried and fresh versions, both of which are extremely popular.

There are so many variations to the types of filling you can use.  I’ve used ground beef with vegetables, ground pork with vegetables, added noodles and diced potatoes to the mix, used shrimp (especially when making fresh lumpia), and for dessert, banana-brown sugar lumpia (or Turon).

Lumpia is delicious eaten as-is, without some type of dipping sauce.  But while I’m on the subject, let’s talk about some of my favorite lumpia dipping sauces: garlic-vinegar, garlic-lime-sugar-fish sauce (don’t knock this one until you try it), sweet and sour, and the ultimate Chamorro favorite–fina’denne’.

No matter what your filling or dipping sauce, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next gathering.

Click on the photos below for my recipe and step-by-step instructions for making Fried Meat-and-Vegetable Lumpia.

lumpia 1

lumpia 2

lumpia 3

lumpia 4

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