Dumpling Hotpot

Mandu are dumplings made by filling a wheat-flour wrapper with meat and vegetables, and in Korea they have often been eaten in winter and on holidays. The culture of large dumplings from northern regions such as Pyeongan-do and Hwanghae-do is especially well known. Dumpling Hotpot takes those dumplings and, rather than boiling them like a soup, arranges them neatly in a jeongol pan and cooks them at the table.

Large dumplings and vegetables set together in a wide pot look generous and appealing, making the dish well suited to serving guests. One account says that after the Korean War, people who made northern-style dumplings settled in various parts of the south, helping hotpot with large handmade dumplings become familiar as a restaurant dish as well.

Dumpling Hotpot can turn cloudy if the dumplings burst, so avoid stirring vigorously from the start. Once the broth begins to boil, gently lift the dumplings to keep them from sticking to the bottom, then transfer them to individual plates after they are cooked and let them cool before eating. At a Korean table, sharing from the central pot and serving yourself is a natural way to eat it.

A good Dumpling Hotpot has wrappers that do not fall apart too easily, with a filling that is hot and moist. As it continues to simmer, the flavors of the meat and vegetables in the dumpling filling seep into the broth, making the later broth richer than at the beginning. On the first bite, the hot juices inside the dumpling can easily burn the roof of your mouth.