Dumplings All Day Wong A Cookbook of Asian Delights From a Top Chef

470 Pages·2014·18.1 MB·English

by  Lee Anne Wong

DUMPLINGS ALL DAY WONG
A COOKBOOK OF ASIAN DELIGHTS FROM A TOP
CHEF
LEE ANNE WONG
CELEBRITY CHEF AND TV PERSONALITY
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CONTENTS
FOREWORD BY MARCUS SAMUELSSON
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
CHAPTER 2
DOUGH-HOW: CHOOSING THE RIGHT
DUMPLING WRAPPER
CHAPTER 3
CLASSIC FOLDS: POTSTICKERS, GYOZA,
MANDU AND MORE
CHAPTER 4
CUP-SHAPED FOLD: SHUMAI
CHAPTER 5
MULTI-PLEAT FOLD: HAR GOW
CHAPTER 6
ROUND FOLD/PUCK-SHAPED FOLD
CHAPTER 7
PARCEL FOLD: BO CHOY GAU
CHAPTER 8
WONTONS
CHAPTER 9
SOUP DUMPLINGS: XIAOLONGBAO
CHAPTER 10
BAO
CHAPTER 11
EXOTIC STYLES
CHAPTER 12
STOCKS, DIPPING SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS
CHAPTER 13
THE ASIAN PANTRY
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INDEX

FOREWORD BY MARCUS SAMUELSSON
When I met Lee Anne twelve years ago, she was already an incredible
badass in the kitchen. She loved flavor, had strong opinions on how and
what to cook and wanted to learn, which she did fast. She came from a
different mindset than a lot of chefs of that era. While they were focused
on French or Italian cooking techniques, and catering to trends and
audiences, Lee Anne cut right to the chase and aimed for nothing short
of delicious food.
She is a bold and brave chef who continues to evolve. She really knows
her Asia flavors, while at the same time, she is truly American with a
mix of cultural influences evident in her incredible recipes. It’s simply
delicious, yummy, flavor-forward cooking.
At Aquavit, she came in as a cook, soon started writing our menu and
really kicked ass. Even when we disagreed, it was a joy. She was
passionate about how to cook her food and didn’t back down. That
energy drove her unique and special approach, and in this case, created
an incredible collection of dumplings.
A lot of cooks have come and gone from my restaurants, but Lee Anne
was a special chef whom I will never forget. I’m glad America gets to
taste her food because I know it’s going to be delicious—and
unforgettable like her.
— Marcus Samuelsson
Marcus Samuelsson is the chef and owner of Red Rooster Harlem and Ginny’s
Supper Club
INTRODUCTION
In the past 30-plus years, I have had the delight of sampling excellent
versions of familiar and comforting Chinese-American classics, as well as
contemporary interpretations and regionally authentic dumplings and
dim sum, both in the U.S. and in Asia proper.
While I am not much of a fan of the often-bland delivery variety, it’s
what I knew growing up, outside of the occasional visits from my
Chinese grandmother, the magical cook. Because I was raised in upstate
New York suburbia, my notion of Chinese food was the local takeout
place. Every now and then my parents would take me and my brother to
the fancy sit-down restaurant that served the bowls of fried noodles with
mustard and duck sauce on the table. These types of establishments are
the most commonly recognized versions of Chinese-American cuisine,
and are wildly different from the regional menus of China. But it’s how I
learned to love dumplings. Dumplings were as much a part of my
childhood as any other snack like pizza or hot dogs. Delivery dumplings
were my gateway food to every other type of dumpling out there.
Xiaolongbao. Gyoza. Momos. Mandu. It was too late. I was hooked.
When I moved to New York City immediately after high school, I was
enticed to stretch my culinary legs and explore neighborhoods like
Flushing and Chinatown for more authentic flavors. When I turned my
attention from art to cooking in my early twenties, I became obsessed
with food. For a broke college student, dumplings were an economical
and frequent player in my diet. Over the years and through repetition, I
have honed my dumpling Jedi skills so I am no longer a slave to takeout.
My friends would say I am dumpling addicted. It’s the first party favor
they ask for whenever I offer to cook, so needless to say being known for
your dumplings is a good thing. The ability to make fresh dumplings at
home will win you friends and admirers.
I personally have a solemn reverence and respect for the expert
dumpling chefs I have encountered in my travels, because I am aware of
the work that goes into creating that perfect bite of food. Everyone’s
familiar with cooking big—big roasts, big casseroles, big anything,