Dim sum is one of the most convivial eating experiences in the world — small dishes, shared across the table, ordered steadily over the course of a long meal. For first-timers, it can also be bewildering: a trolley of unlabelled steamers, a menu in Cantonese, and the feeling that everyone around you knows something you…
The dumpling has been around for over a thousand years. In that time, it has crossed continents, absorbed local ingredients, and adapted to the tastes of every culture it has encountered. The question facing today’s dumpling chefs — particularly those working outside China — is where the line falls between meaningful evolution and novelty that…
A great dumpling looks simple. It is not. Behind every well-made dumpling is a sequence of decisions and techniques that, when executed correctly, are invisible to the person eating it. Understanding how dumplings are made changes how you experience them — and gives you a vocabulary for recognising quality. Stage 1: The Dough Most Chinese…
