Dumplings: Make Your Own at Home, written by La Taverne de Zhao, features a vibrant collection of 22 dumpling recipes with a variety of flavors and styles. A few highlights include Lamb & Carrot, Four-Flavour, Cabbage & Tofu, Crystal Prawn, and Tiny Dumpling Soup. I will also be sharing their recipe for Shaanxi Dumpling Soup following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Zhao Groupe
The recipes in this book were provided by Chan Pochuan and Zhu Xi of Zhao Groupe.
The first La Taverne de Zhao opened in 2011 at 49 rue des Vinaigriers, Paris. They have now expanded to 12 restaurants across Paris and Brussels.
Dumplings: Make Your Own at Home
Dumplings: Make Your Own at Home begins with an illustrated dumpling tutorial highlighting different folds and styles before jumping into the recipes.
The book was originally published in French by Hachette Livre (Marabout) in 2024. It is similar in format to Mochi: Make Your Own at Home, Bubble Tea: Make Your Own at Home, and Donuts: Make Your Own at Home.
The contents page has a visual list of the included dumpling variations with page number for easy reference. Along with all the dumplings, there are also a couple of dipping sauce recipes for serving.
The photography is provided by Shakthi Peiris Samanakkodi. Every single recipe is paired with a vibrant, full-page photo of the finished dumpling. There are also illustrations by Valentine Ferrandi demonstrating how to make the homemade dough and the four different folds (half moon, pleated, soup, and four-flavor).
Measurements are listed in Metric and US Customary. Titles are written in English. Each recipe has a note on yield and prep/cook time.
Shaanxi Dumpling Soup
To pair with this review, I made the Shaanxi Dumpling Soup! This flavorful hot and sour soup (酸汤水饺) pairs homemade dumplings with a rich, fragrant broth.
The longest part is making the dumplings (and you will have extra). The soup itself comes together in minutes by simply simmering water with dried shrimp, chicken stock powder, soy sauce, black vinegar, and sesame oil.
Serve the tender, boiled dumplings in the prepared sour broth while still hot with cilantro, chives, and chili oil to garnish.
Notable Ingredients
Dried shrimp come in a variety of sizes from papery and small to large and softer. They are used for their umami-like flavor enhancer. I used the tiny, bright coral colored ones for this recipe (these will generally still have the head and shell on- that is fine since they are so small).
Black/Chinkiang Vinegar (Zhenjiang, 镇江香醋) is a glutinous rice and wheat bran-based vinegar from Zhenjiang that is aged until it becomes dark brown to black resulting in a rich flavor with a hint of sweetness.
For those in Northern Virginia, I have been able to locate both of these ingredients at Great Wall Supermarket and 99 Ranch Market in Fairfax and Lotte Plaza Market in Chantilly.
A Few Shaanxi Dumpling Soup Tips
The dough comes together with only flour and water and is ready to use after at least a 15 minute (and up to two hours) rest at room temperature.
The ratio listed in the recipe was perfect for me, but results may vary based on brand of flour and local climate.
Knead the dough well until it is soft and pliable. It takes time for the flour to absorb all the water. If still too crumbly after several minutes of kneading, slowly add a little more water. Slowly knead in a little more flour if too sticky to handle.
If the dough continues to shrink back as you roll it out, cover and set aside at room temperature for another 15 minutes before trying again.
Make sure to keep any dough and wrappers not currently in use covered. They will dry out quickly.
If not using all the dumplings at once, they freeze well for future use. Arrange the uncooked dumplings in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and freeze until solid before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be boiled straight from the freezer, but will need a couple of minutes added to the cooking time.
This recipe is made with pork-based dumplings, but I have also seen the soup with beef.
The level of the spice in the soup is completely customizable based on the amount of chili oil added.
More Dumplings
I also made the Sichuan Dumplings, Vegetarian Dumplings, Nanjing Dumplings, and Egg Dumpling Soup.
These Sichuan Dumplings are filled with a spiced pork mixture and boiled until tender. To finish, they are served hot with a drizzle of chili oil, cilantro, crushed peanuts, and sesame seeds. I absolutely loved the flavors.
The Vegetarian Dumplings were an easy option using ingredients I already had on hand. Scrambled eggs are combined with vermicelli noodles, spring onions, and Chinese five-spice, then folded in a homemade wrapper and boiled until heated through. I paired them with a vinegar dipping sauce.
The Nanjing Dumplings were a favorite with my son. These beef-based dumplings are flavored with onion, chive, ginger, and Chinese five-spice, then folded into a crescent shape and pan-fried until golden.
The Egg Dumpling Soup was such a fun meal to assemble. Instead of the flour-based wrapper, these dumplings are made with an egg batter. Thin egg omelet rounds are filled with a pork mixture, folded, then simmered until completely cooked. They are served in a light soup with dried shrimp, seaweed, chicken stock, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
Dumplings: Make Your Own at Home is a great pick for those interested in learning how to make an homemade Chinese dumplings in an assortment of styles. Along with the variety of flavors, you will also find different cooking methods from fried to boiled and steamed. There is a nice selection of meat, seafood, and vegetable options.
Many of the ingredients can be found in larger American grocery stores. Having a market with Chinese ingredients nearby will be helpful in locating items such as chili oil, dried shrimp, seaweed, and black vinegar.
Shaanxi Dumpling Soup Recipe
Excerpt from Dumplings: Make Your Own at Home
Shaanxi Dumpling Soup
Ingredients
Dough:
- 420 grams (15 ounces) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 240 milliliters (8 fluid ounces) water
Filling:
- 600 grams (1 pound 5 ounces) minced (ground) pork semi-lean
- 60 grams (2 ounces) finely chopped chives
- 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
- 20 milliliters (3/4 fluid ounces) light soy sauce
- 50 milliliters (1 3/4 fluid ounces) water
Soup:
- 250 milliliters (1 cup) water
- 1-2 tablespoons dried shrimp
- 1 1/4 teaspoons chicken stock powder
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon black vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
To Garnish:
- chopped coriander (cilantro)
- chopped chives
- chilli oil
- roasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- Combine the flour and water in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix until well combined.
- Tip the dough onto a clean work surface and knead by hand for a few minutes.
- Form the dough into a neat ball and place in a clean bowl. Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- After the dough has rested, roll it into long strips.
- Use a knife to cut the dough into 10 gram (1/4 ounce) pieces.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out each piece of dough into a 7-8 centimeter (2 3/4-3 1/4 inch) disc to make a dumpling wrapper.
Prepare the Filling:
- Place the meat in a large bowl, breaking it up a bit with a wooden spoon or chopsticks.
- Add the remaining filling ingredients. Mix vigorously in the same direction until well combined and sticky.
Fill and Fold the Dumplings:
- Place 20 gram (3/4 ounce) filling in the centre of a dumpling wrapper, holding it in your left hand, and fold the dumpling in half.
- Seal the edges of the dumpling wrapper with the index finger and thumb of your right hand.
- Bring the two ends in towards each other, to form a circle.
- Pinch the two ends closed, so the dumpling takes the shape of a circle.
Make the Soup:
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
- Add 15 dumplings and 50 milliliters (1 3/4 fluid ounces) cold water and gently stir to stop the dumplings sticking to one another.
- When they float to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon and cook the remaining dumplings in the same way.
- In another saucepan, bring 250 milliliters (1 cup) water to the boil.
- Add the soup ingredients and return to the boil.
- Turn off the heat and add the dumplings.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, finish with the herbs and a drizzle of chili oil and serve hot.
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