Let me show you how I feel about dumplings.

Dumplings, pot stickers, shu mai, mandu, savory filling swaddled in thin dough, pan-fried and steamed.

I adore them, I want to put a bunch in my pocket like a toy poodle and take them for a walk along the Willamette when the cherry blossoms are out. I want to kiss each one on the head and tuck them in, in my mouth. I love dumplings. In fact, I’m eating some right now, as I type this.

Keeping a bag in the freezer makes quick work of pulling lunch together on a busy morning. Here I’ve fan fried, then steamed kimchi mandu, nestled them in nice with sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes. I stretched a carrot and hijiki salad with some frozen edamame (another freezer staple), and rounded out lunch with leftover fried rice.

Show your dumplings a little love, and they’ll love you back.