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Kimchi Cabbage Dumplings – The Easy Freezer-Friendly Cabbage Crush Recipe

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Juicy kimchi and cabbage dumplings with a crush-and-reserve technique that keeps the filling flavorful, not watery, and freezes beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups napa cabbage, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup well-fermented kimchi, chopped, juice squeezed and reserved
  • 1/2 lb ground pork (or half pork, half firm tofu for a lighter mix)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 green onions, finely sliced
  • 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 package round dumpling wrappers (about 40)
  • Cornstarch or flour, for dusting the tray
  • Neutral oil, for pan-frying
  • Water, for steaming and sealing

Instructions

  1. Toss the chopped napa cabbage with the salt and let it sit in a colander for 15 minutes.
  2. Using your hands, crush and squeeze the salted cabbage hard, like working sauerkraut, until it releases liquid. Squeeze out the liquid into a small bowl and reserve it; set the crushed cabbage aside.
  3. Squeeze the chopped kimchi separately, adding its juice to the same reserved bowl of liquid.
  4. Whisk the gochugaru, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and ginger into the reserved cabbage-kimchi liquid to make a concentrated seasoning paste.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, crushed cabbage, squeezed kimchi, green onions, sesame seeds, and the seasoning paste. Mix by hand until just combined and slightly sticky — do not overmix.
  6. Place a wrapper in your palm, add about 1 tablespoon of filling to the center, wet the edges with water, and pleat closed into a half-moon or your preferred fold.
  7. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, dusting finished dumplings lightly with cornstarch so they don"t stick.
  8. To cook fresh: heat oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high, arrange dumplings flat-side down, and fry 2 minutes until golden. Add 1/4 cup water, cover immediately, and steam 4-5 minutes until the water evaporates and wrappers turn translucent.
  9. To freeze: arrange uncooked dumplings in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray, freeze until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook straight from frozen using the same method, adding 2-3 extra minutes covered.

Notes

Use well-fermented, sour kimchi for the deepest flavor — young kimchi won"t give you enough tang. Don"t skip reserving the squeezed-out liquid; it"s where most of the seasoning lives. For a vegetarian version, swap the pork for finely crumbled firm tofu that"s been pressed dry, and add an extra teaspoon of sesame oil for richness.

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/kimchi-cabbage-dumplings-the-easy-freezer-friendly-cabbage-crush-recipe/