drop purses

I know love can be so easy//If I start by loving me

Practicing how to be a good Asian mom ... for a super hypothetical Jurassic Park crossed with Harry Potter kind of future. So really, more practically, practicing how to multitask. With bunz.
Fam coming into town is an excellent excuse to spend just a couple hours making a flour-y mess.

While the dough rises, make the filling. When enough skins are rolled out and enough little meat purses are stuffed, start cooking them. And keep on rolling while they fry and folding while they steam. Got my steps in walking around and back around the kitchen counter. And got the rest of the full-body workout from climbing up and down the stool because wouldn't you know my counter is too tall for little ol' vertically challenged me.

I must confess I've never folded buns and definitely had to watch the tutorial video from Woks, but after a couple awkward misshapen buns, making pleats becomes a part of my muscle memory.

Arguably the best part are the little bottoms - that bit of smokey crispy char. That's supposed to complement some soft, fluffy pleated tops.
生煎包
Mine unintentionally ended up with the skin texture of a soup dumpling though. Not a perfect Asian mommy yet, I guess.

With this category of foods, I am true and loyal to [much] black vinegar + [dash of] sesame oil + [spoon of] homemade chili oil 'til the end. I recently listened to a podcast about dumplings being overrated, and it immediately made me crave dumplings. I've been known to eat leftover dumplings cold, straight from the fridge without any condiments or garnishes, but usually when I want dumplings, 70% of what I really want is my black vinegar concoction, and dumplings become just the vehicle. ...Which I guess sort of supports Jiayang's point about them lacking zest... Okay well, between the sautéed carrots and ginger and char, these buns definitely do not lack zest.

You're haunting me, taunting me all in my brain
Turn off the light and now all that remains
Fills me with doubt//and I'm shouting your name
out loud
-Tears, Clean Bandit