Homemade Korean Dumpling Wrappers (Mandu-pi)

Try these homemade dumpling wrapper recipe for Korean Mandu. The texture is softer and chewier than regular dumpling wrappers.

Lunar New Year is coming soon and I want to make loads of Korean dumplings, mandu (만두), this year. These Korean-style homemade dumpling wrappers are a must to make the delicious Korean dumplings.

The Solar New Year is always on January 1st. However the calendar date of Lunar New Year changes every year. It usually lands some time in February, but it also can be in late January depending on the cycle of the moon each year. As a child, my parents always celebrated Lunar New Year rather than the calendar New Year.

Making Mandu a day before the New Year is a traditional activity that many Koreans do with their families at home. In olden days, people made homemade dumpling wrappers from scratch. We call it mandu-pi (만두피). It literally means, “dumpling skin”.

Although the usual recipe for dumpling wrappers is simple (the ingredients are often just flour and water), making the dough into wrappers takes time and effort. We are not talking about rolling up a couple dozen of wrappers, it can be over 100 pieces if you have a big family. People usually make more than they need and freeze the rest for a later use.

Because making dumpling wrappers can be time consuming work, many modern-day Korean cooks at home choose store-bought wrappers to save time. However, there are still many people who would go through the trouble of making homemade dumpling wrappers from scratch. Why? Because they taste so much better and folding the dumplings is such beautiful, rewarding work.

Besides, making dumpling is a great family get-together activity. So, why not start with homemade dumpling wrappers to begin with?

Recipe FAQs

How Korean dumpling wrappers (Mandu-pi) are different than other dumpling wrappers?

Most dumpling wrapper recipes are made with plain flour and water. This Korean dumpling wrapper recipe includes sweet rice flour and cornstarch on top of flour.

The addition of sweet rice flour and cornstarch will help the dough to be tender, yielding a chewier texture. Above all, it rolls beautifully and I found this dough to be easier to work with when you are folding the dumplings.

Another difference would be the size. Korean dumplings tend to be bigger than other Asian dumplings. Therefore the dumpling wrappers should be made bigger, too. Most Asian dumpling wrappers are about 3 1/2 to 4 inch in diameter. Korean dumpling wrappers are between 4 1/2 to 5 inch in diameter.

Can you make dumpling wrappers ahead of time?

Of course. You can make them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge up to a week, or freeze them up to several months. Make sure to sprinkle enough flour in between the wrappers so that they don’t stick to each other. Wrap them in plastic and put them in an airtight zip-top bag.

How To Make Korean Dumpling Wrappers

To make the dumpling dough, mix flour, sweet rice flour, and cornstarch in a large mixing bowl.

Add oil and water; mix with a spoon. Do not add all the water at once. Gradually add water until it forms into a thick dough. You can add more water if needed.

Knead the dough with your hand for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Wrap in plastic and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature, or a few hours in the fridge. Bring to a room temperature before you roll out.

Roll the dough into a long log with about 1 1/2-inch in diameter.

To make large wrappers (5-inch), cut into 40-45 pieces. Each piece should weigh about 30g (1oz). To make smaller wrappers (about 4-inch), cut into 55-60 pieces. Each piece should weigh about 20g (0.7oz).

If you want to make Korean style dumplings, I recommend to choose a large size.

Roll each dough piece into a round wrapper to the size you decided. I made mine to be about 5-inch in diameter. Dust with flour before you put the next wrapper on top to prevent sticking.

A short rolling pin (dumpling pin) comes in handy to roll out the dough in a round shape. Don’t worry if your wrappers are not as round as you wish. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You can always cut along as you make the dumplings.

Make sure to cover the rest of the dough pieces with a damp cloth as you are working, so that they don’t dry out while waiting.

I will post a very delicious Korean pork dumpling recipe in my next posting.

I think it is quite a therapeutic thing to make homemade dumplings. It’s fun to fold them into different shapes. If you have children at home, it becomes even funnier because kids always shape them into their own unique style.

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