Apparently, this is a concept so alien to people that a very casual and unassuming TikTok about it garnered over 14 million views and countless Instagram tags from people giving it a try. Such a basic thing: some broth or a few splashes of mentsuyu (bottled Japanese noodle soup base), somen noodles (because of their barely-a-minute cooking time), a fried egg and scallions. (A little crispy-fried bacon is a nice topping, too.
) The real beauty in this is how quickly it takes once you get the motions down. Think of this as a good starter recipe when you’re learning how to make dumplings, and especially how to fold them. Because there are no hard or sharp ingredients (like carrots or cabbage), they’re easy to fold without ripping the wrapper.
This is probably the most common dumpling filling, both in China and in the U.S., and it is equally good for any cooking method.
Jon Kung is a popular Chinese American chef, content creator and podcast host..