As the provider of this months theme it was only fitting that I post a recipe from my small, (but growing!), list of recipes. At the very start of my teenage years I was removed from my precious little world in Hamilton, New Zealand and taken by my parents to live in Shanghai, China. My father’s career had reached an exciting new level and we were all coming along for the ride! The life experiences waiting would change us forever.
My three years spent in Shanghai were absolutely amazing. We lived in a beautiful western housing compound with nationalities from around the world, plus two swimming pools, a gymnasium and its own bar and restaurant. To top off this ‘typical’ expatriate experience I attended an American School, learning everything American. Suffice to say, this was entirely different from anything my family could have imagined. I hear you asking, “But where did China fit into all of this?”
China was just outside the front gate, full of stunning people, squeaky push bikes, intriguing food smells, great knock-off shopping stalls and the most amazing loads on the backs of motorcycles and trucks. China was also inside my house, we were extremely lucky to have Xiao Feng, my ayi (nanny). Hailing from Anhui, Xiao Feng had a warm and lovely personality that welcomed me home from school each day, cooked delicious Chinese food every night for us and taught me many Chinese dishes, including my all time favourite – pork dumplings.
This recipe is a replica of what my family would put together on a Saturday afternoon. Traditionally as many people as possible would be enticed in to help make the dumplings; extra hands speed up the process, ensuring you get to the most important part – the consumption of the juicy morsels, as quickly as possible! Lastly you will find the conversations will instantly flow, raising intriguing topics regardless of the languages everyone speaks.
