Written by Cato Jun
Edited by Rodlyn Mae-Banting
ingredients:
– flour
– baking powder
– water
– sugar
– salt
everything you need
for the perfect dough.
—
the flour and the baking powder:
both powders,
fine as hell.
they were both bagged with their kind,
hoping to come out like a puff of white,
to become a part of a delicacy one day.
—
the flour and the baking power:
they met in a bowl,
and while they did not click at first,
the water bound them together.
—
the flour and the baking power:
they stuck together like no other.
added a little spice in their lives –
sugar for those sweet moments,
salt for that savory second –
and became the perfect dough.
—
they started off steamy,
something with a little flavor.
—
take some pork filling,
add in some kimchi,
a bit of minced garlic,
and spice it up, baby!
they held each other,
caressing the edges,
feeling their skin against their skin.
they really should get a room
in a bamboo steamer.
once they are steamed,
they can peel back their layers
and enjoy being spicy steamed dumplings.
—
they want to get a bit more serious,
maybe harden and secure their relationship.
—
take some beef filling,
add in some onions,
a bit of grated ginger,
and of course, the scallions,
the ring to say, ‘i do!’
now to seal it all
and never peel away,
they jump into a vat of oil.
once they come back,
they will be golden and crisp,
a pair of beautiful fried beef dumplings.
—
they now want to boil themselves
into a family of more dumplings.
—
take some vegetable filling,
add in some tofu,
a bit of cabbage,
all healthy for the new baby dumplings.
they envelope them all
in tiny pockets of dough,
tucking in the folds
as they fall asleep in the warm water.
when they wake up,
they will be soft and chewy,
a home of deliciously boiled vegetable dumplings.
—
—
and these are all what we call
love dumplings.
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Asians in the Arts 