Appetizers & Snacks

This Gua Bao recipe was the result of an insatiable craving I had in 2012 for the ones my Grandma (Ah-Ma) used to make. Gua Bao consists of only a few ingredients: soy-braised pork belly, chopped sour mustard, sweet peanut powder, and some fresh cilantro, all sandwiched within freshly steamed white buns. I remember back then making a quick inventory of the frig & freezer and realizing that I actually had all ingredients on hand EXCEPT for the buns. I'd seen them frozen at the

Sounds like a weird combo, but tofu and avocado actually go really well together. Not sure where this dish originated from, but I adapted my version from a recipe in Weichuan's Chinese Rice and Noodles with Appetizers, Soups and Sweets . The original used only soy paste for the sauce, but I added a bit of sesame oil and wasabi to spice it up. Bonito shavings are optional, but I think they really enhance the dish.

If you've made a ton of wontons or just happen to have some of the pre-made stuff in the freezer, why not digress and spice it up a bit? It doesn't always have to be about soup. Spicy Szechuan wontons are boiled wontons that are topped with a spicy sauce typically consisting of soy sauce, garlic, Chinese chili oil (layu), sugar, vinegar, scallions and ground Szechuan peppercorns. In this version, I use white pepper instead of Szechuan peppercorn since it's more readily availa

If you like fried food (and, well, who doesn't?) then spring rolls are for you. Don't shy away from this dish if your experience with spring rolls has been those tiny, greasy, and almost filling-less abominations you often get as freebies with your meal at a Chinese fast-food joint. The real deal is deliciously savory, not greasy (if cooked correctly) and highly addictive. Deep-fried shrimp & pork spring rolls are one of the most typical Chinese iterations, although, dependin

This is the staple steamed pork and shrimp dumpling that you'll find at every and any dim sum restaurant around. In Mandarin it's called 'Shao Mai' and in Cantonese, 'Siu Mai.'  It's relatively easy to make, especially after your first attempt (aren't most recipes that way?). The fresher the shrimp, the better, and if you can find 'Shao Mai' wrappers at your local Asian market, well then, fantastic! Otherwise, regular square wonton wrappers will do - just trim off those squar