Let's Make Dumplings!: A Comic Book Cookbook by Hugh Amano

Let's Make Dumplings!: A Comic Book Cookbook Reviews

• 
  Claudia

  Forse mi aspettavo più storia del raviolo e più dettagli su come e in quali contesti si mangino un tipo piuttosto che un altro (come fa per i gyoza ad esempio). Secondo il mio parere, dà un po’ di cose per scontate: gli ingredienti che nel mercato statunitense sono più facilmente reperibili e spiega altre che a me sembrano ovvie.
  Ad ogni modo, non è questo secondo motivo per cui ho deciso di assegnare tre stelle, ma la presenza di pochissime ricette vegane e vegetariane: ce ne saranno cinque in tutto?
• 
  Alexandra

  Very easy to read and follow along. I learned a lot. I'm excited to try these recipes when the weather gets cooler!
• 
  Christine Zandt

  Let’s Make Dumplings! is latest comic-style cookbook from the successful duo, Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan. If you enjoyed their ramen book, this one is just as great. What sets their books apart is that they read like a graphic novel. Full-color panels that convey each recipe’s directions in a new and creative manner, making the content accessible to a wide range of readers. Varying skill levels are accommodated and the cookbook can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
  
  Who doesn’t love Asian dumplings?! Gyoza, potstickers, wontons, rangoon—yum! With so many shapes and fillings, the options are endless once you master the basics. After a bit of “dumpling lore,” the book begins logically with pantry, equipment, and the an explanation of the different wrappers. I was excited to see a recipe for the dough since kids may just think wrappers come from the store!
  
  Learn to make a variety of fillings (meat, vegetarian, even dessert styles) and different methods of sealing the delicious ingredients inside the wrapper. Finish by pan-frying, steaming, or even deep-drying such as for sesame balls). A new-to-me recipe that I particularly enjoyed was the Num Kom (Sweet Cambodian Rice Dumplings) which are filled with coconut and sesame seeds, then steamed in a banana leaf-lined basket.
  
  And don’t forget about the ever-popular baozi. A comprehensive chapter explains how to make these delightful buns. Begin with the well-known steamed pork buns but be sure to move on to also try ones filled with curried beef, kung pao chicken, different kinds of pork, or savory mushrooms.
  
  The final chapter brings it home with a wide range of fabulous sauces that complete the dumpling experience. Some are simply two ingredients: Kewpie mayonnaise and chile sauce. Others play off the sweet-and-sour elements such as the duck sauce made with apricot jam, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and cayenne. I can think of lots of foods I’d like to dip in that!
  
  While this book focuses on Eastern dumplings, I like how the fact that food unites us is stated. A map shows where the recipes come from but the accompanying blurb explains how dumplings span the entire globe. Dumplings “transcend any imagined borders of culture and caste” and “unite us all.” Readers are encouraged to do their own research, travel, and make the recipes their own.
  
• 
  Taun

  Thanks to Aune, who let me know this book existed in the first place.
  
  Much like its counterpart, “Let’s Make Ramen”, this is packed with wonderful history, lore, illustrations & recipes ranging from our favorite gyoza, to even a few sweet dumpling selections.
  
  
• 
  Alle Bücher müssen gelesen werden

  Ein sehr gutes um umfangreiches Werk über die zubereitung von Dumplings! Deckt alles ab: Teif, Füllngen, Faltungen, Suppen, gekocht, gedünsted, fritert gebraten. Umfasst Dumplings aus praktisch allen Teilen Asiens.
  
  Ist sogar besser als das "Ramen", denn ehrlich gesagt: Ramen kochen ist eine Heidenarbeit, wenns mans halbwegs gut machen will steht man stundenlang in der Küche. Dumplings gehen schnell und schmecken sogar noch besser.
  
  
• 
  Michelle Glatt

  I haven't made dumplings...yet. But this book makes me feel like I could. The graphic novel format is perfect for teaching technique and presenting recipes.
• 
  angelofmine1974

  My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:
  
  
  https://youtu.be/PuN1H-vcK5c
  
  Enjoy!
• 
  ☆ Katie ☆

  Dumplings are a food that I eat more than once a week and one of the few foods I never get sick of. I grew up on my mother's handmade dumplings, not even knowing what a luxury I was experiencing on the regular. I always helped her assemble the dumplings but rarely knew what the beginning of the process entailed.
  
  This combines the concept of a fun and colorful graphic novel with the how-to instructions of a cookbook. The colors are vibrant and the illustrations are so realistic, it never fails to make me hungry for real dumplings. The recipes contain basic information, traditional recipes, and interesting twists on Asian dumplings, the best kind there are (but I may be biased). The step by step instructions are clearly depicted and explained and makes homemade dumplings accessible to even the most novice cooks.
• 
  McKenzie Richardson

  For more reviews, check out my blog:
  Craft-Cycle
  
  A mouthwatering collection packed with facts, recipes, and adorable illustrations. Anytime I picked this book up, I instantly craved dumplings in one form or another. This book has everything from savory dumplings, to sweet dumplings, more traditional flavors and some riffs.
  
  I really enjoyed the mix-and-match style of the book. Amano provides the basics on dough making, folding, fillings, cooking techniques, and sauces. While he gives his recommendations, there is plenty of room to play around based on one's own preferences.
  
  The one downside of this book (besides the fact I probably shouldn't eat dumplings every day for the rest of my life, no matter how tempting) is that the fillings are mostly meat-based. There is a butternut squash recipe that was absolutely delicious, but the rest feature pork, chicken, beef, lamb, and/or shrimp. Becan's illustrations do make even those meat heavy recipes look appealing, but as a pescatarian realistically I won't be making most of them. However, this is a great place to start in terms of making sauces, dough, and ways of cooking and folding dumplings. From there you can create your own filling options if so inclined.
  
  This book was such a pleasure to read. I don't often read cookbooks in their entirety, but this one was worth it. Becan's artwork is phenomenal and was very helpful in understanding the steps of the recipes, especially in terms of folding techniques.
  
  A delicious book with tons of tips, tricks, and information. The comic book aspect really added to its appeal and I'm looking forward to delving into
  Let's Make Ramen!: A Comic Book Cookbook soon.
• 
  Ren Puspita

  4 stars
  
  Not as delectable as its predecessor, Let's Make Ramen (my review here:
  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ), but still delicious (to the eyes). Not like ramen that I prefer to eat in the restaurant rather than make it from a scratch, I often cook dumpling, especially gyoza. I made gyoza when I really stressed and somehow mix the filling, fold the wrapper then put them in the pan and start to fry and steam make me feel calm. Sadly, I rarely made gyoza right now, since I'm too busy. This book may made me want to make gyoza again!
  
  Just like Let's Make Ramen, Hugh Amano bring his vast knowledge about dumpling, from savory to sweet, from traditional dumpling to modern take. Of course, all of those knowledge are presentable as beautiful drawing by Sarah Becan. While I like to browse any recipe to try, reading cookbook by Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan give a whole new experience that different from reading usual cookbook that can be pretty boring (I never read any cookbook by actor/actress. Just never have interest, lol)
  
  Don't blame me if you start craving any dumpling. I'm myself want to eat many gyoza, mandu and shumai after reading this cookbook, yum! :9
• 
  Steph

  Okay, I’m shocked that this one has less than 100 Goodreads reviews right now, because this is one of the coolest, most engaging and thorough cookbooks you’ll ever read! Amano, a chef and writer of Japanese descent who grew up watching his mom cook, and Becan, a wonderfully whimsical graphic artist and designer, are the perfect team. Together, they bring to the table a unique and inspiring sensory experience so well-done you might even start to imagine the smells as you’re reading.
  They start out with some history and lore about dumplings, noting how different parts of the world all have their very own version of a dumpling; they then focus on dumplings across the various countries and regions of Asia, from bao to shu mai to gyoza. You’ll learn everything you need to know about how to fold them, cook them, eat them, and the tools you’ll need, as well as how to make the sauces they are often dipped in. There’s even crazy dumplings at the end that I am assuming are the author’s personal recipes, like bacon and egg dumplings 😲 I highly recommend this book to anyone, although if you’re vegan make sure you’re well-versed in substitutes!
  
• 
  Becky B

  A graphic novel cookbook that gives a little history on various kinds of dumplings, gives an introduction to the types of ingredients good to have in your pantry for dumpling making and cooking supplies useful as well, and then provides step by step illustrated instructions of how to make a variety of dumplings from all across Asia and some of the authors' own little twists on the traditional dumplings.
  
  I don't think I'd ever considered before reading this how many cultures have some kind of dish that takes pastry and wraps it around a filling. The authors point out that you could argue that tortellini and even empanadas are also dumpling-ish things, and Polish perogies most certainly are a type of dumpling. This book just focuses on dumplings that originated in Asia somewhere. The recipes are broken down in easy to understand steps. I appreciated that the authors seem like real people and tell you when it is ok to swap out ingredients, use a different appliance, or take an easier route. I didn't make any of the recipes while reading this, but I may come back to try out some, especially the pandan bao dessert one.
• 
  Catherine

  From the creators of
  Let's Make Ramen!: A Comic Book Cookbook! Honestly, it was almost the end of September, I hadn't read a non-fiction book yet that month, I had just gotten back from a trip to South Korea where I did not get enough mandu, and I saw this book while shelving in the non-fiction section. The stars aligned...or at least this seemed like an easy way to fill my self-imposed reading requirement.
  
  
  
  Like it's ramen-related predecessor, this book combines cultural background with recipes (most of which contain meat).
  
  
  
  Unlike Let's Make Ramen!, there are more recommendations for short cuts. (Maybe the creators got the memo that not everyone has the time or inclination to make everything from scratch.)
  
  But there are also step-by-step details if you want to DYI:
  
  
  
  Overall, it's a cute & cozy book that just made me want to have dim sum made by someone who knows what they're doing.
• 
  Barbara

  Let’s Make Dumplings!: A Comic Book Cookbook is probably the first cookbook that I’ve ever read from cover to cover. The comic book format was easy to follow and made directions very clear. The book began with sections on pantry staples and tools that are helpful when making dumplings. I’m going to pick up a fish spatula and a spider, which is a hand-held colander. Both will be useful for many things in my kitchen. There were brief histories and cooking tips for a variety of different dumplings. A good overview was given for folding and wrapping dumplings. Most of the recipes involved meat or fish, but there were a few vegetable based fillings. The writing by author Hugh Amano was engaging and informative. The illustrations by Sarah Becan were great. Let’s Make Dumplings! Is a great comic book cookbook!
• 
  Jenn Adams

  Enjoyed this even more than the ramen version. Love the art style. Despite being drawings and not photographs, it does really convey everything you need to see and know. Love the variety of cultures represented and the informational background. Love that this book features all of the classics but also some modern twists.
  
  Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Rachel

  Interesting concept. A comic book recipe book specifically on how to make a wide variety of Asian dumplings. The comic book illustrations really help and the chef and illustrator take turns showing the reader how to make the various dumplings. We made wontons with our own vegetarian filling and they turned out amazing! Would definitely recommend if you love dumplings but don't know where to start.
• 
  Sarah

  So cute and informative! I don't have the mental capacity to try anything new right now, but this books makes dumplings seem do-able for the home cook. Instructions are clear and illustrated. Some specialty ingredients are suggested, but nothing that seems impossible to get in my small, rural town.
• 
  Krista

  Just like when I read their previous book, I was left wishing more cookbooks were made in this style. As a vegetarian, many of the recipes don't work for me, but I could see how to modify them. They did include a couple vegetarian-friendly recipes, though, and even one vegan recipe. I really enjoy learning all of the interesting historical, cultural, and etymological notes.
• 
  Nina

  This cookbook is so fun! I learned a lot, and I just I wish all cookbooks were written in this fun, visual, and conversational/narrative style.
  
  I’ll definitely be checking out the ramen cookbook and any future cookbooks these authors make, but until then, I’m looking forward to all the homemade gyoza I’ll be having 😋
• 
  Reggie Lynn Agulto

  I love love love the illustrations here! It was a unique find at my local library’s “new” section. I immediately made dumplings — the very next day. I made the Beef Kimchi Wontons with wonton soup. Yum!
• 
  Ashani

  This book is too cute to be a borrowed read from the library. After being so hungry constantly of these beautifully illustrated pages I ordered the book from Amazon ! And oh the Chinese New year celebrations are also around around the corner ! Im so "dumpling" ready !
• 
  Sonya

  This book is a graphic novel... But... Surprise! It's a cookbook. What a fabulous idea. Love the pictures and the recipes. Has a short history of dumplings and different dumplings around the world. You can just read it, but it will make you hungry.
• 
  Monica Albright

  What a fun way to present a cookbook! I love this!
  Thank you for exploring all things dumplings and giving us a history, a pantry list, and alternatives. I am excited to dig in and create all kinds of delicious dumplings.
• 
  Brooke

  I like that we are pushing the boundaries with what is a graphic novel and what is non fiction. I picked this book up on a whim and I'm so glad I did. It manages to be art and educational at the same time and is no more challenging to read than recipe blogs that include stories.