Pan-fried dumplings are a must for Chinese New Year and my favorite way to give them a little something extra is a dumpling lace skirt. It’s satisfying to break into and adds even more crispy texture to the dumplings. Coloring the dumpling dough is another fun twist that I’ve tried. Generally, I like eating them without any accompaniments, but a chili crisp oil is nice for a bit of heat.
Remember, during the pandemic, when we decided to grow our own scallions from leftover bulbs? Unfortunately, mine didn’t really grow, so I bought a bunch for scallion biscuits and pancake testing. While I got the technique and flavor down, the texture wasn’t quite right. I needed more flakiness. Enter: Clarice Lam’s recipe from her new book Breaking Bao. She, too, sought after flaky layers for scallion pancakes and ended up with a roti canai recipe.
Come summer, when basil in abundance at the farmers’ market, I immediately grab a fragrant bunch to for this easy pesto recipe. Blanching the basil leaves is the secret to keeping the pesto’s vibrant color. I tossed the pesto with corzetti pasta. The stamp molds are linked below.
During quarantine, I tested two buttermilk biscuit recipes. I wanted height and flakiness and both of these recipes achieved that. Fox in the Snow Cafe’s biscuits are more traditional with the classic buttermilk flavor that wouldn’t compete with other dishes during Thanksgiving. Chef Mei’s Cheddar Scallion Biscuits will give you the crisp edged, impressive layered look on the cut sides. I prefer them eaten on their own because they have so much flavor from the cheddar and scallions. Both recipes can be prepped ahead.
