Asian Dumplings

Andrea Nguyen’s IACP Award-finalist cookbook covers more than 75 dumpling recipes from across Asia, including China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, India, and the Philippines. While broader than a pure dim sum book, its Chinese dumpling chapters are among the best technical references available for home cooks.

Why This One

If your interest in dim sum is really about mastering the craft of dumplings and wrappers, this is the book to reach for. Nguyen is a celebrated food writer with a gift for translating traditional Asian techniques into clear, step-by-step instructions that work in a Western kitchen. She covers dough-making in detail, explaining how different flours, hydration levels, and kneading methods produce different textures.

The book goes beyond dim sum classics to include gyoza, spring rolls, samosas, and soup dumplings, which gives you a broader foundation. Once you understand how a basic hot water dough works, you can move between cuisines with confidence. The photography by Penny De Los Santos is practical and beautiful.

What to Expect

A 240-page hardcover organized by type: crescents, sticks and balls, sheets and rounds, and others. The opening chapters on ingredients, tools, and fundamental dough techniques are essential reading. This is a moderately challenging cookbook that rewards careful attention to technique. Plan to make a mess the first few times, and plan to get very good at it after that.