Skye | cookbook-nuv

Family Introduction

Dumplings are a prominent part of any Chinese household. They are easy to make and are one of the most delicious dishes you can get. For my family, they are a staple on any special occasion or holiday. On Thanksgiving, instead of having turkey and mashed potatoes we will have dumplings and duck. But eating the dumplings is only half the fun, each dumpling is filled and folded by the kids! My cousins and I will line up at my grandmothers long table and churn out dumplings as fast as we can. Even my three year old cousin takes part in this tradition. My mom takes cooking duty as my aunties supervise making sure that all of the dumplings are sealed tightly with none of the pork spilling out.

My mom’s parents were both born in Macau but moved to Hong Kong soon after they were married. My mom and her siblings were born in Hong Kong and grew up with the traditional and delicious food of Hong Kong. My grandmother would cook many of the traditional recipes at home and my mother would help her. When my mom was 15, she moved to America and brought recipes with her. Since dumplings are easy to make, they were an instant staple for my mom. Soon our family’s traditions formed, gathering to cook up a fresh batch on holidays and weekends.

Dumplings do not only serve as a home cooked comfort food but also as an appetizer in many resturants. Last February, when my family went to Hong Kong and China, we had some of the best dumplings that the world has to offer. Dumplings are the type of food that brings families together around a dinner table to enjoy. I believe that most Chinese families would say that about any food, but dumplings are an especially intrical part of any holiday.