Learning how to cook dumplings in Edith's cooking class in HK

Hong Kong is a foodie paradise and it’s very possible to pare down on food expenses by eating in the cafeteria or on one of those small noodle houses/dimsum places across my office. 

My problem is these eateries serve too much carbo and meat, with nary a vegetable. And the result of course is so obvious. Three months in Hong Kong and I’m putting those pounds (of course the job stress and the lack of exercise also contributed to that).

This is why when I learned that Edith Lam – my (soon-to-be) landlady slash flat mate – conducts cooking classes, I immediately signed up.

The Saturday cooking class with Edith

Which is how I found myself one Saturday morning walking through several stalls of Aberdeen’s wet market. In lieu of my usual Saturday ritual of sleeping until noon, I was inspecting different parts of the pig carcass, looking at different kinds of fish and buying fresh bell peppers.

Not that this is my first time to step in a wet market. I even went to several wet markets here. But those market trips were confined to buying fruits and vegetables, plastic tabo, a broom and a pair of rain boots (a necessity during Hong Kong’s rany season).

But with Edith guiding us tourists and newbies in Hong Kong, we did learn not only how to wrap dumplings but also a bit more about Hong Kong culture.

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The cooking class slash food tour started in Ap Lei Chau – a small island connected by a land bridge to the southern part of Hong Kong. 

We were at the harbor where Edith showed us a guy busy segregating some newspapers and cartons in several piles.  

Edith brought us to one of several recycling centers in Hong Kong. But there’s more to this recycling center than another of Hong Kong’s green initiatives.  It is also a stark commentary on Hong Kong’s wealth inequality.

As Edith noted, some elderly Hong Kong women go to recycling centers like these to sell cardboard and newspapers that they collected all day just to earn a few dollars a day. With no social welfare and a monthly pension at less than 5,000 Hong Kong dollars, these so-called ‘cardboard grannies’ are a reminder that Hong Kong has still a long way to go toward social equality.

This is the spread that we prepared – but mostly I just ate. LOL.

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Aberdeen market is just five minute boat ride from Ap Lei Chau. Hong Kong of course has a very efficient public transport system, and it’s quite possible too to take the bus or the train to go to Aberdeen.

But the harbor in Aberdeen, where several fishing boats are docketed, is a reminder of how this area used to be a fishing village. There are still fishermen, though. But Ap Lei Chau and Aberdeen are residential and commercial areas now. And the property prices, like in most parts of this very expensive city, are skyrocketing.

Just across the Aberdeen market is a street which is home to perhaps one of the world’s smallest Taoist temples.  It’s actually more like an altar –ad dedicated to Hoi Wong, the Sea God.

It’s in the middle of the street because years before this area became a commercial center, there is a temple on that spot. It used to be part of the pier but since the area was reclaimed, that temple has been reduced into an altar.  People still go to offer joss sticks, flowers and fruits.

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A small temple in Aberdeen dedicated to the Sea God.

The actual cooking class was held at Edith’s flat where I tried to roll in a bunch of enoki mushrooms on beef strips and attempted to make homemade pork dumplings.

Edith had to show me several times how to pleat and fold those dumpling wrappers.  I think I managed to make three and stopped at that.

After that dumpling wrapping session, I concluded that a.) my years of rolling lumpiang shanghai in Manila  didn’t prepare me for this dumpling wrapping session; b.) that I have so much respect for people who make dumplings from scratch and c.) I’d rather wash the dishes and let Edith wrap all those dumplings.

Of course we ate those fried beef enoki mushroom rolls and steamed pork dumplings, while drinking cups of green tea.  Never mind that I’m not such a good cook.  But I’m still thankful for such a productive Saturday, for the blessing of good food and good company. For all the abundance that’s coming my way.

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You can sign up for Edith’s cooking class at: https://www.localcookingexperiencehk.com/

And this is how you wrap dumplings according to Edith.