#yumpling

#yumpling

Being here has definitely made me more precise. Gordon is very decisive - he makes a plan, and then we get on and do it. That's very much my ethos now.

DakaDaka is reimagining Georgian cuisine with a focus on open-fire cooking, featuring a wood-fired hearth and charcoal grill at the heart of its kitchen.

"What we didn't expect was the response - customers were coming by, messaging us, and sharing stories about what the restaurant meant to them. It made us realize this wasn't just a place to eat - it had become part of people's routines and memories."

The Crispy Potato Corn Dogs contain bonus ingredients folded into the batter, which means each bite is speckled with cubed potatoes. This is the kind of snack that delivers both flavor and texture.

Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings is known for its handmade soup dumplings, made in an open kitchen where diners can observe the preparation process. The menu features traditional dim sum and noodle dishes, including Shanghai Siu Mai and pan-fried crispy noodles.

We're serving carnitas 100 percent Michoacan-style. This is artisanal cuisine. We're using methods that go back a long time. Michoacan carnitas are usually cooked in a copper pot, braised slowly in their own fat with orange peel, garlic, bay leaves and a splash of coca-cola.

When the students or workers don't have money, it is easy to grab it and go. It's cheap, that's how we started it. When people don't want to spend a lot of money for lunch, it's five bucks, and you're satisfied.

When we talked internally about who would be a dream partner for the brand, everyone said the same name. Keith built his reputation on authenticity and great food, which mirrors what we want to represent.

Christmas is lovely, but my kids think Chinese new year is by far the best holiday. I might be biased, but, unusually, I am inclined to agree with them. As my eldest puts it, New clothes, cash, booze and food what's not to love? There's the added bonus that cash is absolutely more than acceptable in fact, it's de rigueur, so there's no shopping for mundane socks and smelly candles. Chinese new year is full of rituals and, just as at Christmas, every family has its own, but they are all variations on a theme. Symbolism looms large in Chinese culture, and at new year it centres around messages of prosperity, luck and family.

Each month, our staff shares unfussy recipe ideas that you can call upon any day of the week. Because yes, our editors love to cook, but sometimes we need to get dinner on the table 12 minutes ago. That's when we look to kitchen helpers, humble ingredients that can quickly turn into delicious meals. This month, it's all about store-bought dumplings.

Despite one or two less than stellar Trader Joe's frozen dumpling flavors, the grocery giant really hit its stride with its pork gyoza potstickers. Easily earning the top spot in our ranking of the chain's dumplings, the pork potstickers provide savory goodness in each bite. Filled with pork, cabbage, green onions, and a touch of garlic and ginger, the potstickers don't skimp on the meat. From the first taste, pork is clearly the main character, with the veggies adding an herbaceous balance.

Clear counter or table space for everyone to cook together, and be sure to get enough ingredients for each person to eat at least a dozen dumplings. Then, set up your assembly line in a circle: Place a bowl of filling in the middle of every three to five cooks, along with wrappers and a floured sheet tray or plate. (Cooks can chat more easily if they face one another when wrapping dumplings.)

Sticky rice, aka sweet glutinous rice, is best steamed so its plump, chewy grains are ready to sponge up all the flavor. I created it almost by accident when I was obsessed with tomato paste and the umami it can contribute. The result is reminiscent of paella, but with the classic sticky-chewy texture of sweet glutinous rice. You'll end up with a bit of crispy browned rice at the bottom of the pan - scrape it up, fold it into the final mix

Stir-frying is all about wok hei, or wok's air' in English, which you can think of as the height of fire', or the level of heat. It's said that Chinese cooks have good wok hei if they have a true understanding of the heat of their wok and how to handle it in all situations, and a stir-fry's success is based on the quality of the cook's wok hei.

A location and an opportunity fell in my lap that was just like perfect for Baohaus, so I had to do it,