Is anyone as obsessed with Crazy Rich Asians as I am?
I know what you're thinking. Oh this girl reads Crazy Rich Asians and suddenly thinks she can just post about dumplings. Ugh "Alamak, what an ABC!" Yes, now that I am well versed in this novel, I've taken up a bit of Chinese slang. Sadly, I'm an ABA, and no I'm not referring to the Swedish pop band. I'm an American Born America. One who knows absolutely nothing about the intricate details of legitimate Chinese food. Eastern food and flavors are so intriguing yet hard to come by in New England. Something that completely engulfed me when reading this book was the emphasis on food. The main character Rachel, a Chinese girl born in America, gets off the plane in Singapore only to embark on a culinary adventure, exploring food markets by night, while attending intimate family dumpling making sessions by night.
I watched an interview where the cast described their favorite food memories growing up. The director of the film described coming home from school and joining his grandma in making wontons. Through the repetitive actions of filling and folding wontons, his grandma learned about his day, his school, his friends. The wonton folding became a sentimental ritual for him that he ensured would be featured in the film. Maybe to me it is kind of like making sauce or rolling meatballs, but after reading this book, I really wanted take a night or myself and make some dumplings. I get it, me standing at my kitchen counter folding dumplings while my cat watched is maybe a bit different than being surrounded by family, but it still is cathartic. I think everyone should give it a chance. It also helps that these dumplings are super super easy to make.
If you haven't read Crazy Rich Asians I strongly recommend it. While typing out these words, it sounds like I'm plugging Keeping up with the Kardashians, but in all honesty it is a great book. It wholesome ,with drama. What more could you want? Also, it get's 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes which is awesome. Still confused why my favorite movie Holiday in the Sun isn't yet rated.
I could provide a lot more context about the actor who plays the main character Nick, but I'm unable to actually handle his portions of the interviews. The accent, the hair, the body...I don't want to talk about it.
Dumpling Ingredients:
1/2 medium head napa cabbage thinly sliced
1 pound ground pork
1 bunch scallions thinly sliced (including white parts)
3 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 egg beaten
1 (12 ounce) package round dumpling, wonton, or gyoza wrapper
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 cup water
Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1-2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste) or chili sauce
Combine the first 7 dumpling ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix to combine. To assemble, spoon 1 tablespoon (think smaller than you want) onto each wrapper. Brush water along the edges of the wrapper. Fold dough over the filler and create a crescent moon shape. Make sure to pinch the edges. Repeat with remaining wrappers. Heat a skillet with sesame oil on medium high heat. Place dumplings evenly in skillet and cook until the bottoms begin to crisp and turn golden brown. Do not turn. Pour water into the pan, lower the heat to low, and cover. Steam dumplings for 3 - 5 minutes. When they are done, the wrappers will appear translucent.
To make the sauce. Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Serve with dumplings.
I watched an interview where the cast described their favorite food memories growing up. The director of the film described coming home from school and joining his grandma in making wontons. Through the repetitive actions of filling and folding wontons, his grandma learned about his day, his school, his friends. The wonton folding became a sentimental ritual for him that he ensured would be featured in the film. Maybe to me it is kind of like making sauce or rolling meatballs, but after reading this book, I really wanted take a night or myself and make some dumplings. I get it, me standing at my kitchen counter folding dumplings while my cat watched is maybe a bit different than being surrounded by family, but it still is cathartic. I think everyone should give it a chance. It also helps that these dumplings are super super easy to make.
If you haven't read Crazy Rich Asians I strongly recommend it. While typing out these words, it sounds like I'm plugging Keeping up with the Kardashians, but in all honesty it is a great book. It wholesome ,with drama. What more could you want? Also, it get's 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes which is awesome. Still confused why my favorite movie Holiday in the Sun isn't yet rated.
I could provide a lot more context about the actor who plays the main character Nick, but I'm unable to actually handle his portions of the interviews. The accent, the hair, the body...I don't want to talk about it.
Dumpling Ingredients:
1/2 medium head napa cabbage thinly sliced
1 pound ground pork
1 bunch scallions thinly sliced (including white parts)
3 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 egg beaten
1 (12 ounce) package round dumpling, wonton, or gyoza wrapper
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 cup water
Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1-2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste) or chili sauce
Combine the first 7 dumpling ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix to combine. To assemble, spoon 1 tablespoon (think smaller than you want) onto each wrapper. Brush water along the edges of the wrapper. Fold dough over the filler and create a crescent moon shape. Make sure to pinch the edges. Repeat with remaining wrappers. Heat a skillet with sesame oil on medium high heat. Place dumplings evenly in skillet and cook until the bottoms begin to crisp and turn golden brown. Do not turn. Pour water into the pan, lower the heat to low, and cover. Steam dumplings for 3 - 5 minutes. When they are done, the wrappers will appear translucent.
To make the sauce. Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Serve with dumplings.
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