Introduce yourself

Hi everyone, I am Anan! I was born and raised in Beijing, China and I studied in the UK. While studying in the UK, when I was homesick, the food that came to my mind was my mom’s dumplings! It was very hard to obtain authentic Chinese dumplings in the UK then, so I had no choice but to make my own dumplings. I called my mom and she guided me step by step. I am pescatarian so I included chives, prawns, shiitake mushrooms, eggs, cabbage and spices in my dumplings instead of the traditional pork fillings. I remember that my first dumplings were a disaster – they exploded in the boiling water but I still loved them and they made my Chinese New Year in the UK feel like it was at home! Making dumplings for my friends and family today may require a lot of time but it is always worthwhile when I see their satisfied smiles!

To me, Home is…

having a meal with our families and friends together. Home is where I feel accepted and comfortable living in a community and where I know I have someone to count on!

What’s the story behind the dish you are presenting?

When I first came to Singapore, I found that the dumplings in Singapore tasted different from those that I had in Northern China. Therefore, I wanted to make these dumplings to showcase my roots. Dumpling is a food that brings people together. In China, during Chinese New Year, everyone will make dumplings together while watching the New Year Gala.

About Kitchen Movements

Kitchen Movements, a series of events curated by The Party Elves, provides a platform for home chefs to shine and share their dishes. They focus on self taught passionate home cooks who cook with locally sourced, sustainable ingredients. Kitchen Movements hopes to cultivate a community that comes together over a shared love of home cooked food and the belief in a giving community.