Dumpling Making Lessons

Our neighbor and friend Amu came over today to give us a lesson in how to make Chinese dumplings.  She is also a teacher in our school.  She teaches in the machine shop, but she is also an excellent cook!  Amu picked up Sue at 1pm and off they went to the store to procure the necessary dumpling creation supplies.  They came back and started chopping the meat and vegetables.

Washing and chopping...
  
Sue had her sous-chef, Sophie, helping her in the kitchen.
 

Sophie eventually went for a nap, and Amu was trying to chop the meat quietly.  Not an easy feat!


Next, it was time to roll out the dough for the outside of the dumplings.
 

After cutting them into small pieces, they got the dumplings ready to be filled with meat and vegetables.


Jack enjoyed watching the process so much he decided to join in and had a great time.  Sophie rolled some dough too.


Amu was a very patient teacher.  Between answering questions about dumplings from Sue, Chinese questions from me, and being 5 months pregnant, she was a pillar of patience.


After awhile, Amu's husband Tou Kai came up for dinner and watched the process as well, and after a few minutes, joined in!
 

Amu helped Jack make his first dumpling.  It was reminiscent of making Christmas cookies with our small tree in the corner.  However they tasted completely different!


Sous-chef Jack taking a dumpling lesson from the master.


Here's the happy couple, Amu and Tou Kai.


Peter also took a dumpling making lesson from her.


Here are some of the dumplings, ready to be boiled!  They prepared 3 different fillings including pork and cabbage and celery and garlic chives.


Our dining table; now a dumpling making factory.


... and here are the cooks with the hot dumplings on the table, ready to be eaten. The dumpling making and shopping started at 1pm, and we ate at 7pm!  They were scrumptious and worth waiting for!  However between the 7 of us we could only eat about half of what was made!