Dumpling Making in Shanghai
A CRCC Asia Program is much more than an internship. Our International Internship Programs include the chance for you to really engage with your Program Location and the cultures and traditions of these fantastic destinations. This week, we tried dumpling making in the streets of Shanghai.
Dumplings, or jiaozi (饺子) in Mandarin, are one of the most common foods found across China. While there are many different variations, you can often find stalls and restaurants selling boiled or fried dumplings at a cheap price. Not only are these make a great snack when out and about, but they are also traditionally made by families in the home.
With dumplings so readily available, we felt it was high-time our interns learnt how to make these tasty treats for themselves.
As part of our monthly Cultural Activity, we invited our interns to a local restaurant that had prepared soft dumpling skins and filling. Fillings are varied but the most widespread flavours are meat, chives, and other vegetables.
After a quick handwash (safety first), the wonderful restaurant staff patiently showed us how to pop in the filling and pinch the seams of the dumplings shut, ready for cooking. We got of to a wobbly start, but soon our dumpling creations were taking shape!
After getting into the swing of things, we soon had a full pan of dumplings – and a lot of flour on our clothes! The restaurant staff were honestly quite surprised that we had done so well, but it was of course thanks to their expert instruction.
The best part of this activity was the fact that we actually got a huge reward in return for our hard work. Soon, four bowls of steaming dumpling soup were returned to us and we were able to taste our very own dumplings? Our verdict? Absolutely delicious. If you need a fresh batch of dumplings any time soon, you know who to call.
If you would like to learn more about our Shanghai Internship Program click here, or alternatively click here to fill out a short application form.
