Emily

At the start of quarantine when we were more enthused and still desperate enough for social connection to do something about it, one of our Zoom gathering events was PPT parties. You've probably heard of them. Powerpoint parties- where everyone picks any topic from far and wide and makes a presentation about it to present to friends. Emily walked us through the magic that is Taiwan 7/11's. Em identifies as Taiwanese American, a third-culture kid. The time we first met is still contested... I think. Mostly because I'm still not sure, but I am sure that it was at a food-centered event. And there's a high high likelihood it was either at a dumpling event or in Kevin's apartment. And since then our friendship has revolved only around food events (or trips). 

One of these days I'm going to make Emily take me around the 7/11s of Taiwan, but in the mean time, we got pictures of cold sesame noodles and all the chips and triangle sushis. And of course tea eggs. Truly an 'iykyk' item. I've never encountered tea eggs in convenience store snack form, but it makes so much sense. My parents used to make a giant pot of them for long road trips, and I'd peel and pop egg after egg into my mouth until my cholesterol was probably dangerously high for a six year old.

 

Tea eggs are ridiculously easy to make. Boiled eggs that have been cracked and then steeped in a brew of tea and spices. The world is your oyster if you have a stocked pantry.

So for Emily's heritage dumpling, I attempted to mimic the pretty sauce-stained pattern of a tea egg for my dumpling wrapper. Ended up with little soy sauce marbled pockets that look like little eggs.

Stuffed with pork, grated turnip, dark and light soy sauce, five spice powder, and fermented hojicha tea leaves. And of course pieces of soft boiled eggs. 

Boiled with bay leaves for that final flavor touch.

Things I would do differently: maybe sub a different veggie for the turnip, figure out if I could get sharper edges on the marbling. 

Em's complete list: 

tea eggs tomato and egg (classics)

zongzi with meat and salted egg yolk (which I've made with her here) 

mom's miso salmon 

sugar vinegar spareribs 

mom's beef noodle soup that she'd thicken into a stew and drench over rice