The Dumpling Galaxy Cookbook

 “A dumpling is the perfect food: proteins, vegetables, and seasonings all wrapped up in an easy-to-eat bundle of carbs.”

The Dumpling Galaxy Cookbook is Helen You’s famous restaurant in New York, where she has refined dumpling creation into an art form; but if you can’t make the trek to Queens as often as you may like, she has compiled this cookbook of her restaurant’s favorite recipes so you can enjoy them at home. According to You, making dumplings is actually quite simple, and the basic premise is a filling made of, usually, meat and vegetables, wrapped in a thin dough and fried, boiled, or steamed. Sounds simple enough. The execution, however, takes some practice to perfect. You understands you may have some initial reluctance, so while her book tells you how to make dumplings from scratch, she graciously allows that you may want to buy pre-made wrappers as you begin your dumpling-making journey.

Once you get your wrappers ready (however acquired), there are a multitude of filling ideas here, with meats and seafood, vegetarian options, and even sweeter dumplings for dessert. The recipes are fairly straightforward; there are a few ingredients that may be difficult to find; if you have an Asian market nearby you will probably have better luck finding things like garlic chives, dried octopus, duck breast, or hawthorn candy; but most recipes you can put together from a well-stocked supermarket. If you like dumplings, or maybe are just curious about them, be sure to check out The Dumpling Galaxy Cookbook by Helen You.

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