Little presents
(Dumpling preparation: Glasgow, Scotland)
These are the cutest dumplings I have ever made. My Chinese friend, Susan prepared the filling of beef and Chinese radish that you see in the bowl on the right. She made the pastry for the dumplings too, and rolled it out. To be honest, all I did was put some filling in the middle of a circular piece of pastry, or a skin and then pinch it into a little crescent package. After a shaky start with my first dumpling looking rather like a demented fish, I managed to fold up over fifty dumplings for use at today’s dumpling tasting session. I’m hosting it to bolster Susan’s growing business – Seven Dumplings. I would like to mention that I can manage many more than seven in a sitting. I think my best gluttonous efforts rate in the low twenties.
I love eating these dumplings – the best part is that the meat is encased in the dumpling skin and when it has been steamed or boiled, there is a soupy addition to the filling in each one. It reminds me of the crabmeat dumplings I had in Shanghai, the ones filled with soup and were served with a straw. If I had one night to spend in Shanghai, I think I would do my darndest to visit that restaurant – it’s a very specific taste that cannot be replicated outside of that building. Well, it probably can, but it wouldn’t feel the same. It wouldn’t be the same. Like home, I guess.
– Today Rosie is hosting a Chinese dumpling tasting session in Glasgow, Scotland –
wow, beautiful dumplings!
Let’s go to Shanghai together and have the crabmeat buns!!