Product Review

Is there anything more satisfying than a well-made Asian dumpling? Wrapped, rolled, or filled; steamed, fried, or baked–asian dumplings are also surprisingly easy to prepare and enjoy at home, as Andrea Nguyen demonstrates with more than 75 recipes. 

Nguyen is a celebrated food writer and teacher with a unique ability to interpret authentic Asian cooking styles for a Western audience. Her crystal-clear recipes for Asia’s most popular savory and sweet parcels, pockets, packages, and pastries range from Lumpia (the addictive fried spring rolls from the Philippines) to Shanghai Soup Dumplings (delicate thin-skinned dumplings filled with hot broth and succulent pork) to Gulab Jamun (India’s rich, syrupy sweets).

Organized according to type (wheat pastas, skins, buns, and pastries; translucent wheat and tapioca preparations; rice dumplings; legumes and tubers; sweet dumplings), Asian Dumplings covers Eastern, Southeastern, and Southern Asia, with recipes from China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Tibet, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Throughout, Nguyen shares the best techniques for shaping, filling, cooking, and serving each kind of dumpling. Plus she makes it easy to incorporate dumplings into your life by giving a thorough introduction to essential equipment and ingredients and offering make-ahead and storage guidance with time-saving shortcuts that still yield delectable results, and tips on planning a dumpling dinner party.