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.)