Our second Q&A question is in, and this time you want to know, what is my favorite food?

This one’s a hard one, because… I just really like food.

But there are definitely some foods I gravitate towards more… and they all feel totally cliche so don’t judge me.

Bacon. I LOVE bacon. There’s definitely a time and a place – when it was “in” a decade ago, there were definitely some bacon concoctions that… just weren’t that great. But perfectly crispy bacon is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

I’m a huge fan of all dumplings, but I really love xiao long bao.

And same goes for sandwiches – I love them all, but if I had to choose one, it’s bánh mì all the way.

Inari sushi is my favorite sushi and I absolutely could survive on that alone.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up boba.

But oddly enough, if I had to choose one dish, and one dish alone to eat for the rest of my life? It wouldn’t be any of those. Hands down it would be that spinach and chickpeas dish I posted a couple of weeks ago.

I recently came across the Little Fat Boy blog and instagram, and I’m obsessed with how amazing his dumplings look.

Do mine look nearly as good? Nope.

Did the color add anything flavor-wise, beyond aesthetics? Also no.

Is it worth doing for someone like me, who just doesn’t have the patience or artistic ability to be one of those popular kawaii food instagrammers? Hahahahahaha no.

But was it fun to try anyways? Yes!

Pork and Shrimp Dumplings

recipe from Little Fat Boy

Ingredients

• 1 lb finely minced napa cabbage, finely shredded
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 lb ground pork shoulder
• 1/2 lb ground shrimp
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 4 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• store-bought dumpling wrappers or homemade dumpling dough
• vegetable oil, for cooking
• water, for cooking
• optional condiments for serving: chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, chinese mustard

Cooking Directions

1. Mix the cabbage with the salt, and let sit 15 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes, squeeze out the excess water and set aside. Soak the shiitake mushrooms in water for 20 minutes, then finely chop.
2. Combine the remainder of the ingredients, mixing until everything is evently distributed.
3. Using store-bought wrappers or homemade dough, form your dumplings in whatever shape you desire, making sure the edges are completely sealed.
4. To cook: pan-fry the dumplings in vegetable oil for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of water and immediately cover the pan. Let steam 5-6 minutes. Remove the lid, and let the dumplings continue to cook until all the water has evaporated, then remove from pan.
5. Serve with chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, and/or chinese mustard.
6. Enjoy!

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