It’s Dumpling Week!
Every so often, I need dumplings. (The use of “need” over “want” is firmly intentional.) I don’t just mean eating dumplings — that would be more like weekly. The process of making them is very much included here. I almost always use store-bought wrappers, and while sometimes I’ll gather friends or otherwise enlist help for dumpling-making, I truly enjoy doing all of the folding and pleating myself. In the same way that I love knitting, pulling weeds or mending clothes, I find it so satisfying and soothing to make something with my hands — to put the phone away and let my brain gently rock back and forth with the repetitive movements. Whatever irritating snags I hit in the process fade away when I gaze upon my finished project and give myself a pat on the back. If you also love a little D.I.Y. — Do It Yourself, or Dumplings In You (sorry) — you’ll be delighted to know that it’s Dumpling Week here at New York Times Cooking! We have five new dumpling recipes (with videos) from five Cooking all-stars: Sue Li, Eric Kim, Hetty Lui McKinnon, Kay Chun and Genevieve Ko. I just brought home a bridal-bouquet-like bundle of garlic chives, so first up for me are Sue’s pork and garlic-chive potstickers, her take on the pan-fried dumplings from a stand at the base of Elephant Mountain in Taipei, Taiwan. Featured Recipe Pork and Garlic-Chive PotstickersThe filling for these is super simple: just ground pork and garlic chives, with egg to bind and a bit of soy, sugar and sesame oil to season. Sue includes instructions for freezing your dumplings, but I understand if you and yours eat all of them in one go. My capacity for dumplings, like certain functions in calculus, is unbounded and has no limit. (Somewhere my AP Calc teacher is beaming.) Let’s look at more dumplings, shall we? Wang Mandu (King Dumplings)
The beef, mushroom and onion filling in Eric Kim’s wang mandu (king dumplings) isn’t traditional, but it is delicious, and gets a little kick from gochugaru and chopped jalapeño. A dip in vinegary soy sauce steeped with chopped red onion and jalapeño cuts through the richness. Recipe: Wang Mandu (King Dumplings) Mushroom Manti With Garlic Yogurt and Tomato Sauce
Hetty Lui McKinnon’s vegetarian manti are inspired by the Turkish version of the meat-filled dumplings; she fills hers with herby mushrooms and serves them with garlicky yogurt and a spiced tomato sauce. While traditional manti are small and made with a flour, egg and olive oil dough, this recipe uses store-bought wonton wrappers. Recipe: Mushroom Manti With Garlic Yogurt and Tomato Sauce Cabbage, Potato and Cheese Dumplings With Dill
Cabbage heads, rejoice! Kay Chun’s mom’s cabbage-potato soup inspired these pierogi-adjacent dumplings. The savory filling combines creamy mashed potatoes and caramelized cabbage, tangy sauerkraut and fresh dill. Serve them boiled, pan-fried or bobbing in a vegetable soup. Recipe: Cabbage, Potato and Cheese Dumplings With Dill Thai Basil Chicken Dumplings With Rice Paper Wrappers
Sometimes I think Genevieve Ko can read my mind, or at least see into my pantry. How does she know that I have so many round rice paper wrappers that need using up? Genevieve’s recipe applies the signature hot, sour, salty and sweet flavor profiles of Thai food to super-savory dumplings, and gives them a chile-spiked dipping sauce. Formed into little round patties, these don’t require any nimble pleating, just some easy folding. I can’t wait to make them. Recipe: Thai Basil Chicken Dumplings With Rice Paper Wrappers Want even more dumplings? You can find our 2025 Dumpling Week recipes here, and — if you’d like to get your pals involved — here’s Genevieve’s guide to hosting an unforgettable dumpling party. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some dumplings to make [cracks knuckles].
Thanks for reading!
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