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1
Salt the shredded napa cabbage liberally, toss, and leave for 15 minutes, so the salt draws moisture out through the full body of the cabbage rather than merely wilting the surface. Wring it by the fistful until no further moisture releases, then press the tofu between cloths under a weighted board until equally dry. Both must be expressly dry — any residual water will migrate into the wrapper during cooking and cause it to break.
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2
Combine flour and salt, then add just-boiled water gradually, mixing with a chopstick until the dough shags together — the heat relaxes the flour from the outset, giving you a wrapper that is pliable and tender rather than tough when cooked. Knead by hand until smooth and elastic; the surface should feel silky, not tacky, and the dough should spring back slowly when poked. Cover and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature so the dough fully unwinds and rolls without resistance.
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3
Combine pork mince, tofu, cabbage, chopped glass noodles, green onion, garlic, ginger, ganjang, and sesame oil in a bowl, then mix in one direction only until the mixture coheres — working in one direction builds a bound, compact texture that holds in the wrapper rather than crumbling when you bite through. The filling is ready when it holds its shape briefly when pressed, dense enough to sit in the wrapper without slumping.
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4
Divide the rested dough and roll to 2 mm thickness for boiled mandu, 3 mm for pan-fried, since the thicker sheet can withstand the direct heat of the pan without tearing at the base. Cut into rounds approximately 9 cm in diameter and work in batches, keeping cut rounds under a damp cloth so they do not dry out and crack at the edges when you fold them.
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5
Place a scant tablespoon of filling at the centre of each round — do not over-fill, as the wrapper must close without strain — then brush water around the full edge to act as the adhesive that bonds the seal. This is where the dish lives or dies: fold to a half-moon for soup mandu or pleat into a crescent for steamed, pressing firmly along every join to expel all trapped air, because a pocket sealed inside will expand violently in boiling water or steam and blow the dumpling open, losing the filling into the broth.
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6
To pan-fry (gun-mandu): arrange the flat-bottomed mandu in a cold, lightly oiled pan and set over medium heat, so the base adheres gently and builds an even, golden crust as the pan comes up to temperature rather than scorching on contact. When the bottoms have coloured to pale gold — visible at the edges without lifting — add 60 ml water and cover immediately, letting the steam finish cooking the wrapper and filling through; cook covered until the water has completely evaporated, then remove the lid for the final 1–2 minutes to re-crisp the base. The underside should release cleanly and sound hollow when tapped.
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7
To boil (mul-mandu): lower mandu into generously salted boiling water in batches, keeping the water at a rolling boil so the dumplings circulate freely and cook evenly rather than sitting and sticking to one another on the base of the pot. They are done when they have floated for 2–3 minutes and the wrapper is translucent and tender with no visible raw flour; taste one wrapper at the fold — it should be yielding but cohesive.
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8
To steam (jjin-mandu): arrange on a lightly oiled steamer rack over vigorously boiling water, since a strong head of steam from the start drives heat through the wrapper quickly and evenly, preventing the dumplings from sitting in condensation and turning soggy at the base. Cover and steam until the wrapper is opaque, shiny, and clings visibly to the filling beneath it.
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9
Combine ganjang, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and gochugaru for the dipping sauce. Serve alongside steamed and pan-fried mandu immediately.