Asian Dumpling Cookbooks

[RWells]

I am a huge fan of asian dumplings. There seems to be a large number of cookbooks out this year either devoted to or at least partially devoted to the topic. I am only going to buy/suggest one or two this holiday season. Which one or two should it be. Here is what I have seen so far Asian Dumplings, The Asian Grandmother's Cookbook, The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guide, Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking and the ubiquitous Momofuku. Please feel free to suggest personal favorites that I have overlooked.

Thanks in advance,

Bob

[snowangel]

I don't have any experience with any of the new books, but I will say that Barbara Tropp's masterful Modern Art of Chinese Cooking has absolutely the best instructions ever on pleating Chinese dumplings. My other two go-to books for dumplings are a circa 1975 Wei Chuan Dim Sum book and Florence Lin's Complete Book of Chinese Noodles, Duplings and Breads. All three of these books have the advantages of being multi-purpose books, each one with all sorts of very good recipes for things other than dumplings. Tropp's tome is a back-bone of my cookbook library -- there's no question that is the most well-worn book in my collection.

[RWells]

I don't have any experience with any of the new books, but I will say that Barbara Tropp's masterful Modern Art of Chinese Cooking has absolutely the best instructions ever on pleating Chinese dumplings. My other two go-to books for dumplings are a circa 1975 Wei Chuan Dim Sum book and Florence Lin's Complete Book of Chinese Noodles, Duplings and Breads. All three of these books have the advantages of being multi-purpose books, each one with all sorts of very good recipes for things other than dumplings. Tropp's tome is a back-bone of my cookbook library -- there's no question that is the most well-worn book in my collection.

I have a copy of Barb Tropp's book and it is indeed masterful and a go to book for me as well. Every time I use it I am reminded that she is no longer with us.

Bob

[snowangel]

One of my rules for buying any cookbook is to try and check it out from the library. If I renew it, I buy it. Otherwise, hie thyself to a Borders or Barnes and Noble and curl up in one of their chairs with these books and peruse them.

The other question is one that I already raised. Do you want a single purpose book or one that can fill many needs, which all of the books I mentioned above can do?

[jumanggy]

Of the books you originally listed, Asian Dumplings is the most focused, followed by The Dumpling (though it features dumplings from around the world). They both have folding diagrams and make dough from scratch. Asian Dumplings in particular impressed me with a technique for making spring roll wrapper by hand! Not many books would dare.

If you'd like more of a taste of what Andrea Nguyen's recipes are like, check out her blog:

http://www.asiandumplingtips.com/

[mbhank]

"Mastering The Art of Chinese Cooking" has one chapter devoted to dumplings. You might not want that one.