Happy Winter Solstice, everyone! On this special day, dumplings are essential. Today, I'm going to share with you the whole process of making dumplings by myself.

The Winter Solstice is an important traditional festival, marking the beginning of the gradual lengthening of daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere. There is a saying about eating dumplings on the Winter Solstice: "If you don't have dumplings on the Winter Solstice, your ears may get frostbitten." Dumplings are like little suns in winter, bringing us warmth. Moreover, dumplings symbolize reunion. It is full of happiness when the family sits together to make and eat dumplings.

Now, let's start the journey of making dumplings!

I. Preparation of the Filling

1. Making the Dough: I mix eggs with flour and knead it into a smooth dough. Let it sit for a while. The dumpling wrappers made in this way will be more elastic.

2. Preparing the Meat Filling: I choose the meat from the leg of a black pig and cut it into small cubes. Then add diced scallions, minced ginger, water with Chinese prickly ash and anise, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and salt to marinate. Let the pork fully absorb the flavors of these spices and become extremely delicious.

3. Processing Other Ingredients:

• Cut fresh shrimp into small cubes to add a sweet and fresh flavor to the dumplings.

• Cut the soaked black fungus into small cubes to add texture to the dumplings.

• Cut Chinese chives and Chinese cabbage into small cubes respectively. Marinate the Chinese cabbage with salt and then squeeze out the water to prevent the filling from becoming watery.

• Scramble the beaten eggs and let them cool.

4. Mixing the Filling: Put all the processed ingredients together and add an appropriate amount of salt, then stir evenly. The delicious dumpling filling is ready.

II. Wrapping the Dumplings

1. Rolling out the Wrappers: Divide the rested dough into small pieces and roll them into round dumpling wrappers with a thicker middle and thinner edges.

2. Wrapping: Put an appropriate amount of filling in the middle of a dumpling wrapper, then fold the wrapper in half and pinch out beautiful pleats. Lovely dumplings are born one by one.

III. Cooking the Dumplings

1. Putting into the Pot: Boil water in a pot. When the water is boiling, put the dumplings in and stir gently with a spoon to prevent them from sticking to the pot.

2. Adding Cold Water: When the water boils again, add a bowl of cold water. Repeat this process three times until all the dumplings float, indicating that they are cooked.

3. Taking out: Use a strainer to take out the dumplings, let them cool slightly, and then you can enjoy them with vinegar.

Each dumpling is filled with my love for the Winter Solstice and the inheritance of tradition. I hope everyone can have delicious dumplings on the Winter Solstice and feel the joy of the festival!

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