A Delicious Delicacy - Dumplings

The water bubbled in the pot as my mother picked up a dozen dumplings one by one from a white plate and put them into the pot.  The wonderful aroma of the fresh dumplings instantly filled the room.  “Mom, when can the dumplings be ready?” I sat eagerly waiting for feast.  “In a few more minutes.”  My mom smiled at me. I guessed that I could be patient for my favorite food. Sparingly, no. Not really. I love dumplings because they are so delicious and I have much fun make them.



         Not only are dumplings delicious, but they are also healthy.  The filling of dumplings generally consists of about one-third of meat and two-thirds of vegetable.  Depending on your preference, you can choose  any types of vegetable and meat as your filling.  The most popular vegetable choices include Chinese cabbage, green beans, Chinese chives, mushrooms, romaine, and eggs.  Some of the favored meat choices include pork, beef, lamb, and shrimp. Not only can you choose your filling but you can also make your dumplings in any shape that you want.  The most common shape of dumplings looks like the ancient Chinese money - the gold ingot.  Families and friends like to gather to have dumplings on Chinese New Year’s Eve as dumplings symbolize prosperity and good fortune.  I think that the freedom of personalizing my dumplings is why making them has loads of fun.



         Making dumplings is much more complicated than making a sandwich, but the enjoyment coming along with it is well worth the labor and time that my mom and I put in. Making dumplings is like a fun crafting project, requiring careful handling and a bit of creativity.  To make the dumpling filling, my mom usually put a pound of fresh lean grounded pork into a big mixing bowl, constantly stirring the meat while putting in spices such as soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and diced ginger and leek.  The kitchen immediately is filled with a mouthwatering aroma.  I carefully picked up a piece of very thin dumpling dough, lightly dab a bit of water along the edge of the dough to make it sticky, scoop up a spoonful of well-mixed and delicious filling and slowly place it in the center of the dough.  Then my favorite part begins.  I cautiously fold the dough into a fanlike shape, pressing the center edge of the “fan” tightly.  I lightly pushed the left and the right side of the “fan” inside a little to make the dumpling function like a “purse”.  Then I gently gather the edges of the dough to close the remaining openings.  Voila! A brand-new dumpling is standing proudly like a soldier in my hand.  After a while, an army of dumplings forms, neatly lining up on the plate.  Chatting with my mom while making the dumplings is another reason why making dumplings is fun. Often my mom and I make comments on each other’s dumplings. My mom’s dumplings look like fat piglets most of time unless she decided to be creative.  Once she made her dumplings resemble sunflowers.  My dumplings are always different. Some are chubby.  Some are lanky.  One time, mischievously, I made my dumplings look like a battalion of UFOs.



         My favorite dumpling filling is Chinese chives mixed with scramble eggs and freshly grounded pork.  They are savory and tangy. The soft feel of a warm dumpling in my mouth reminds me a marshmallow. At the first bite of a steamy dumpling, the light scent of the wheat and spongy feel of the dumpling give away to the fireworks of flavors exploding in my mouth as the delicious juice extracted from the filling floods from the dumpling into my mouth. Immediately, I feel as though every taste bud in my mouth is celebrating a festival of flavors.  Yummy!  How can such a small package hold so many gleeful secrets? I bet a delicious dumplings can lure an angel away from her duty.



         “Dumplings are ready!” my mom said pleasantly with a plate of dumplings in her hands as she sat at the table. I exclaimed, “Wow, they smell so good!”  I took a bite and the blissful celebration of flavors started all over again.  Dumplings are my favorite food because they are fresh, flavorful and healthy. They look simple, yet complicated. Making my own dumplings doubles my pleasure because I enjoy the fruit of my labor very much.