I really love food (can you tell?!) and the way it brings people together to conversate and appreciate, but nothing ups the ante more than having those folks who join you around the table join you in pulling a meal together. Not all meals necessitate extra helpers, because I love all the chopping and measuring and sorting and rolling, but dumplings are one such food where I’m always glad to have extra sets of hands.

Starting an assembly line, my boys lined up and started stuffing a tablespoon of ground turkey, fermented black beans, ginger, garlic, bean sprouts, green onions, carrots, chili and celery into the wrappers. These gyoza wrappers were really soft and fresh from Foodscape, not that I have anything against the big chain varieties, because I’ll take a premade wrapper any way I can get one. That said, the pliable nature and freshness made them a real treat to pinch and close up.

All lined up at our stations, each of us went to work with heads down. Batches take patience and working together fosters that ability. The plump little dumplings don’t take long at all once you’ve finished the stuff, close, pinch, repeat part of the evening fun. With a little ponzu sauce for dipping, those dumplings were done in no time, with the last two going to Mom and Dad, like good little stuffed kids should suggest. Everyone had their fill in both stomachs and hearts! This was a real family favorite with a feeling of comradery and accomplishments all around.  You should try it with your family some night because the filling can be customized any way you want it.