Growing up as a mixed Asian American kid in the Caribbean, dumplings had become the gateway to my Asian culture. The mighty dumpling was the one Asian food that was constantly displayed on the tv with movies like kung fu panda spot lighting Asian noodles and dumplings. I'd sit on the floor and watch countless scenes in countless movies of people folding dumplings into perfect pleated crescent shapes. It was art to me, their hands just knew what to do. Like a choreographed dance their fingers would pinch and fold the edge of the wrapper to reveal a picture perfect dumpling. My stomach would rumble and my mind would race, at the thought of one day being able to make my own delicious pork dumpling.

 Fast forward to the current time, I'm a college student with my own kitchen. I decided that it was time for me to learn how to fold my own dumplings. It was more than just making a meal to me, it was a chance for me to participate in the tradition. 

To start the dumpling making process I had to make my dough, a combination of just flour, water, and just a pinch of salt.  While that rested I started the filling, following a recipe from my asian mother that relied on “some” as a unit of measurement.  Despite the lack of specific instructions, the filling was easy enough to tackle.

All that was left to do was to assemble the dumplings. I rolled out my dough into thin round sheets and began adding little dollops of my pork mixture into each. When I picked up the first dumpling I could feel the sweat forming on my brow, it was time to fold. I had trained for this moment, the countless hours of movie watching and youtube consulting had prepared me. In one hand I held the dumpling and with the other I began two fold, pinch, flatten, and repeat. For my lack of experience and help from movie magic, I was creating something close to what I had idolized throughout my childhood.