In cold weather, I love eating mandoo (만두), Korean dumplings. This recipe is for jjinmandoo (찐만두), steamed dumplings with kimchi, tofu, and mung bean sprouts inside. Lunar New Year is approaching on January 31st, on which Koreans traditionally eat tteogkuk (떡국), to which dumplings are commonly added. I've added a recipe for tteogkuk below.
Make your own kimchi (김치)! Kimchi, fermented napa cabbage, is Korea's national dish. Traditionally, it was stored in a jar and allowed to ferment underground. You can find kimchi in stores, but it usually has shrimp paste or fish sauce in it. This recipe is relatively simple and easy to do yourself. You can eat kimchi as a side dish, and it's also used in a variety of dishes like kimchi stew (김치찌개; kimchi jjigae) or kimchi fried rice (김치볶음밥; kimchi bokkeumbap). You can find Korean chile powder, essential for this dish, at a Korean grocery store. Check to make sure it is from Korea.
