Dumpling:
a traditional bite-sized food made from savory ingredients that seems ordinary yet, an essential Chinese dish. However, the filling is much more complex than it seems.
At least that is my definition of it...
Step 1: Gather the ingredients
In front of me are a pack of dumpling wrappers, a pack of shredded pork, fresh vegetables, and sauce. These are the ingredients needed to make dumplings. However, many other ingredients can be added to give the dumpling a twist.
Step 2: Preparing the ingredients
Having seen people cook dumplings time and time again, I felt like I knew how to prepare my ingredients but, I still had my doubts. I cut the vegetables - to add color, flavor, texture, and depth, seasoned the pork - the base of the filling, and added sauce - to incorporate more flavor and zest, and mixed it all together. It took some time to finally get the taste I was looking for - the taste of my ideal dumplings. Every flavor complemented each other; every bit of the filling encapsulated a different chapter of a book - each with its own unique quality. But, when eaten as a whole, the pieces become a dumpling - the chapters become a book.
Step 3: Wrapping the dumplings
Now that the filling is made, I had to wrap the dumplings, to give it shape. I took a bite-sized scoop of filling and placed it in the center of the dumpling wrapper. I carefully folded the dumpling wrapper to the best of my ability to ensure no filling escapes. The dumplings may not look the best, but practice makes perfect.
Step 4: Cooking the dumplings
I take out my dumplings and they are hot. As I wait for them to cool, I begin to think about the process it took for me to make my dumplings, then it hit me...
I realized that a dumpling could mean so much more than just food itself - it can be a symbol of my own life. I began to realize that I am the dumpling. I am the one preparing myself - I am the one making me who I am. The questions I tend to always ask myself now is: What can I add into my life to make it "taste" better, to make it more enjoyable? Did I add all the right amount of ingredients to my life? I want my dumpling to taste good, not only to me but to others as well.
Throughout my life, it was hard for me to understand why I went through so much. While kids were excited to go home, I was excited to be at school. Growing up I was always pressured by my parents to be the "smart" kid or to be like my older sister - I felt like a disappointment. But during my life, I learned that life is not fair and I cannot let others make me who I am. The mistakes while making my dumplings represented the struggle I experienced in my life - the struggle that makes me who I am today; and, although I may not be the best dumpling in the pot, I know I can always try again. I can make myself into my ideal dumpling if I work hard - I am in control of my life...
For that reason, I decided to study nursing, to give help to others - the kind of help I never got while growing up. Every moment, struggle, failure, and success has made me into the person I am today. Through all of it, I put it behind me and used it to improve myself and how I could possibly be helpful to others.
Dumpling (my continuation):
Me