In celebration of the Asian Lunar New Year, Eric and Sophie Banh of Monsoon East presented a celebratory lunch this past Friday hosted by acclaimed cookbook author Andrea Nguyen. Nguyen who recently published her second cookbook "Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas and More," is a very charismatic, personable cook who masterfully captivated the capacity crowd in Monsoon East's main dining room. Like any good speaker, Andrea worked the somewhat awkwardly shaped room expertly, making sure that everyone could see and hear what she was discussing and demonstrating.
With her new book it is Andrea's mission to demystify the revered Asian dumpling. For someone like me, who has hit up their share of Dim Sum brunches yet have fiddled at home helplessly with those sticky store-bought dumpling wrappers; Andrea Nguyen is a beacon of hope in a see of uncertainty. She took a big risk in trying to convince the average home cook that they can indeed make their own dumpling shells by providing a simple, food-processor recipe that she insists results in a much more user-friendly dumpling assembly process.
The five-course luncheon paired several styles of dumplings inspired by Nguyen's recipes yet prepared by the masterful Monsoon East kitchen, with some delicious teas that truly showcased the versatility of each. In between courses, Nguyen offered some insight into the dishes as well as tips and techniques attendees could use to make delicious dumplings at home. Some of the most useful tips were to make your own skins (as they will be more supple, more forgiving and likely hold more filling), to use a standard issue tortilla press to assist in the creation of a perfect round wrapper and to remove as much of the liquid and moisture as possible from your filling.
As for the food, it most certainly did not disappoint. The first course showcased a sticky rice dumpling technique that most closely resembled a stuffed and trussed pork loin, filled with mung bean paste and pork and served with cubed Vietnamese pork sausage on top. This dumpling was a wonderful play on contrast with the delicate flavors of the mung bean paste countering the toothiness of the cubed pork and the sticky texture of the rice.
The next course again showcased a unique texture, this time with a glistening tapioca pearl doughsphere filled with shrimp and taro root, swimming in a sea of delicious Nuoc Cham sauce (that ubiquitous Vietnamese sauce that is served alongside your spring rolls and usually has carrots floating in it). The chewy texture of the tapoica and the subtle flavors from the filling really popped when mixed with the sweet and tartness of the sauce. Next up was a delicious fried dumpling filled with lobster that was paired with the most delicious tea I have ever had; a magnificent toasted rice tea that was subtle enough to pair perfectly with the crunchy dumpling and its succulent filling.
The fourth course, my favorite of the meal was a
delicate rice flour dumpling wrapped like a mini-crepe filled with Kurobuta pork shoulder and Woodear mushrooms topped with batones of the same pork sausage used earlier. The delicate, thin texture of this dumpling worked perfectly with the unctuous filling and the light sauce to provide the best four bites I took all day. (Beautiful photo of this course is courtesy of Denise over at Wasabi Prime)Finally to come full circle, the dessert dumpling showcased the same pork-loin-esque technique as the first course but this time was filled with banana that had intiguingly turned a muddish red color from its overnight cooking process and was accompanied by a delicious coconut and basil sauce. It served as the perfect final act to a great meal.
I would like to thank the folks at Monsoon East, Gruman & Nicoll PR and Andrea herself for putting on such a wonderful event. It was an eye opening experience for me and I look forward to trying out some of Andrea's recipes. If you are looking for an introduction to making your own dumplings at home, this book is certainly a great place to start.
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