Dumpling King – North Miami Beach, FL

Green Onion Cake at Dumpling King Miami

Green Onion Cake with a Sweet and Spicy Sauce at Dumpling King

Dumpling King was our last restaurant adventure in Miami before returning to Chicago. It came highly recommended by one of Corey’s colleagues and fellow foodies, so we were eager to squeeze it in before we left. We’re so glad that we did! We’d been craving some authentic Chinese food (which there isn’t much of in Miami), and this sure hit the spot.

From the outside, Dumpling King didn’t look too impressive; it’s located in a strip mall in which building repairs were underway. But we didn’t let that stop us, and neither should you! After all, one of my favorite restaurants, Raku in Las Vegas, is located in a strip mall. I still dream of their homemade tofu and crispy shrimp, and I can’t wait to go back to Las Vegas to eat at Raku (among other things). read more

Chinese Egg Rolls with Pork

Chinese Egg Rolls with Pork

These Chinese egg rolls with pork are amazing! Every year for my birthday my family makes me a Chinese dinner featuring these egg rolls, shrimp toast, mu shu pork, sweet & sour pork, pan-fried dumplings, cubed steak, Mongolian beef, fried shrimp, and beef and broccoli. It’s an all-day affair and everyone pitches in to help. The crowd favorite are these Chinese egg rolls with pork.

My grandfather learned a lot about Chinese cooking from Shu-min Hsieh—a Chinese immigrant who came to the US in 1963. She taught Chinese cooking classes in Gainesville, FL from 1970-1990 to increase awareness about Chinese food within the community. I know her recipes are much appreciated in our household and we have  incorporated them into our family traditions. read more

Crunchy Shrimp Balls

crunchy shrimp balls

Crunchy shrimp balls are fun to make and incredibly tasty. Their unique, satisfyingly crispy texture contrasts nicely with the shrimp filling. Spring roll wrappers—similar to wonton wrappers, but thinner and made with rice flour—are the secret to this delicate texture. They’re sold in the refrigerated or frozen aisles and are not to be confused with the dried rice wrappers used in Vietnamese spring rolls.

This recipe comes from Bee Yin Low’s cookbook, Easy Chinese Recipes. Her blog, Rasa Malaysia, is one of my favorites. She features authentic Asian recipes, with a particular emphasis on Chinese and Malaysian cuisine, but also occasionally dapples in Western baking. The stunning photography, frequent giveaways, and easy-to-follow recipes make her blog worth checking out. read more