A fun cooking lesson to try while in Stockholm, Sandra Carpenter learns how to make dumplings from scratch at EAT (European Asian Taste).
All photos by author
I am a new dumpling master.
Or, at least that’s what my certificate from EAT (European Asian Taste) Restaurant says. But while I spent several hours at dumpling school learning the techniques, I think I will need a lot more practice before I am any kind of dumpling master.
That said, the evening at the restaurant was a lot of fun and I did learn a lot about dumpling making.
Our international group of 10 was shown the finer points of dumpling making by chef Chen. The very, very patient Chen spent several hours showing us how to make five kinds of dumplings from different regions in China.
We started out with a basic dumpling shape and then worked our way up in difficulty from there. The class was very hands-on and we each got to roll out the dough, add filling and then try to shape it into the appropriate form. The shaping was the hard part and it required a good bit of manual dexterity.
As for me, I was more successful in folding my earlier shapes than the later ones.
Chef Chen, our dumpling guide, shows how thin you need to roll out and work the dough.
There were different techniques to learn about how to roll out the different kinds of dough and how to fold the shapes. We made a dim sum with several kinds of mushrooms in it, a seafood dim sum with crab, shrimp and scallops, a pork dim sum with chili, a kale and shrimp wonton, and also a duck and pumpkin dim sum.
Adding the seafood filling and folding wontons.
Some of our shapes turned out better than others and another batch ready for steaming.
But best of all, after we finished making the dumplings the restaurant cooked them up for us and we got to sample our creations. My favorite was the simple steamed mushroom dim sum, but the others were all pretty tasty as well.
And at the end of our lesson, we were each presented with a framed “dumpling master” certificate and the recipes. It was such a fun twist on going out for dinner at a restaurant, and was also a great way to spend an evening in town.
At the table, we each had a trio of dipping sauces for the dumplings. A collection of our ready-to-cook dumplings. The results were fried dumplings and wonton soup.
About EAT cooking school
Under the direction of master Chinese dumpling chefs, you get to make five kinds of dumplings from different regions in China and the dumplings vary in flavor, style, consistency, and texture. Each lesson ends with a dinner where you get to eat the dumplings you made together. Dumpling Masters Jiao Wang Hong Mei and Chen Xueqin score your dumplings and select the winner. The price is a starter kit to get you started with making your own dumplings at home.
“The dumpling trend has grown stronger in recent years, and it is time for Swedes to learn what real dumplings are . There are endless variations of dumplings within Chinese cuisine which many don’t know about. I also hope that more people will try to make dumplings at home. Swedes are generally interested in cooking, but their knowledge of Chinese cuisine and food culture is still surprisingly low,” shares Henrik Norstrom , Creative Director , EAT.
www.eatrestaurant.se/dumplingskola
