These crispy, pan-fried little parcels are filled with ground pork and kimchi which, like cilantro and lime or dal and rice, just go together. Make the filling up to a day in advance, then enlist friends or family members to help you wrap. You can get as basic or as fancy as you’d like with your pleats; for a step-by-step tutorial on the pleat instructions I describe in the recipe, check out this terrific guide on The Woks of Life under “#4: The Bi-Directional Pleat.” For maximum efficiency, use a very large lidded nonstick skillet so you can cook up to 25 dumplings at once. The technique of steam-frying the dumplings in a combination of water and oil ensures the filling stays juicy while the bottoms get nice and crispy.
If you don’t plan on eating all the dumplings at once, freeze any leftover uncooked dumplings in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper for a couple of hours. When the dumplings are frozen solid, transfer them to a resealable bag and store them in the freezer so you’ll always have a 10-minute meal at the ready when you have no idea what’s for dinner. —Christina Chaey
