Happy Chinese New Year Everyone!!! As I write this in my Vancouver apartment, the firecrackers and hollering have just begun in celebration outside. Where we live is like a little Chinatown and for weeks I have seen decorations go up in the markets. I took the photo above at my Superstore!
Even Reg earned some lucky money performing the cymbals at his Kung Fu’s School’s Lion Dance.
Learning about dumplings
I have been slowly but surely making my way through the Craftsy class: Favorite Asian Dumplings from Scratch with Andrea Nguyen. I just do not want this class to end!
Recently I learned in this class that most dumpling restaurants use a traditional steamer ring which goes on top of a huge pot of hot water and then you place the bamboo steamer on top of it. For home-use, Andrea suggests you use an aerated pizza pan to make it fit. So clever! Gotta find one of those.
Celebrating The Lazy Way
But I indulged instead! I have made my own dumplings a lot and so I am having a blast picking them up in the frozen section of my Asian markets for lunch. This one is Amoy‘s Shrimp Dumplings (Shaomai).
They cost me just $2.99!
In the package you get 10 frozen shrimp dumplings.
I made these after I found out from Favorite Asian Dumplings from Scratch that you should always have some of the holes/slits exposed when you steam your dumplings.
I don’t have a perforated pizza pan yet so I just made sure my bamboo steamer was on top of a medium pan of boiling water, all nice and snug.
I let them steam for 10 minutes and they turned a beautiful golden colour.
These were just as delicious as they were beautiful! Wonderful shrimp flavour. These are quite tiny and easy to eat in one little bite.
I loved dunking this flower-like dumpling into my easy dumpling sauce. What a stunning treat just for me!
My new life in Vancouver is full of so many culinary flavours and adventures. I look forward to making more of these delicacies in my own kitchen but for today and right now? Gung Hay Phat Choy and pass the dumplings!
They do look like flowers.
So pretty, aren’t they?
May the Year of the Sheep bring good things to you and Reg! We saw a lion dance a couple of weeks ago at West Edmonton Mall. Always a good time!
You too Debra!!! May it be a kind and loving year, the way it has been forecasted to be. I could really use that positive energy. Oh that’s so cool you saw a lion dance at the mega-mall!!!