Jiǎozi!

Who's hungry for some pot stickers? Jiǎozi are Chinese dumplings that are hugely popular where we live and considered a staple food in many regions of Asia. They are little crimped envelopes of dough stuffed with ground meat and/or vegetables, which can be boiled, steamed, or fried. James and I like them both boiled and fried, and we eat them the local way with a dipping sauce of soy, vinegar, garlic, crushed chili pepper, and cilantro.

Knowing how to make Jiǎozi by hand is as Chinese as knowing how to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies is American. It is surprising then that this August was our first Jiǎozi tutorial!  My new teacher for this semester invited James and I over and taught us the art. (Well, she taught me the art and James helped consume the finished product.)

James Can Drive

Summer and rainy season are synonymous here. While we needed the rain, the downpours caused flooding and washouts all over our region. During an excursion to the countryside this July, we encountered a small section of road that was less than stable. Fortunately, there was plenty of berm and the grade was level! Watch James navigate it like a pro below: