Movie Night: Crazy Rich Asians

May · The First Year Date Passport

There's a whole scene about a family folding dumplings together, so tonight, you're doing exactly that. Put on some music, flour the counter, and get folding.

Tonight's Menu

• Meal: Homemade pork and cabbage potstickers

• Snack: Shrimp chips

• Drink: Lychee martini, or a lychee spritz

• Dessert: Mango sticky rice

Your Game Plan

1. The night before or that morning: Soak the sticky rice. It needs at least 4 hours.

2. 1 1/2 hours before: Make the filling and fold the dumplings together.

3. 45 minutes before: Steam the rice and make the coconut sauce.

4. 15 minutes before: Cook the potstickers and mix your drinks.

Pork and Cabbage Potstickers

Makes about 30 · 1 hour, folding included

• 2 cups finely chopped napa cabbage

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 lb ground pork

• 2 scallions, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 1 package round dumpling wrappers

• Neutral oil, for cooking

• Dipping sauce: 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, a few drops of chili oil

1. Toss the cabbage with the salt and let sit 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as you can.

2. Mix the cabbage, pork, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger.

3. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Wet the edge, fold in half, and pinch or pleat it closed.

4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add dumplings flat side down and cook 2 minutes, until golden on the bottom.

5. Add 1/3 cup water, cover right away, and steam 6 to 7 minutes, until the water is gone and the filling is cooked through.

Shrimp Chips

Grab a bag of ready-to-eat shrimp chips from an Asian market. If you find the uncooked kind, fry them a few at a time in hot oil for a few seconds, until they puff up.

Lychee Martini

Makes 1, so double it

Shake 2 oz vodka, 1 oz syrup from a can of lychees, and 1/2 oz fresh lime juice with ice. Strain into a chilled glass and drop in a lychee.

Mocktail: 1 oz lychee syrup and 1/2 oz lime juice over ice, topped with sparkling water.

Mango Sticky Rice

Serves 2 to 3 · 4 hours soaking, 40 minutes active

• 1 cup glutinous (sweet) rice

• 1 cup canned coconut milk

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water

• 1 large ripe mango, sliced

• Toasted sesame seeds, for topping

1. Soak the rice in water at least 4 hours, then drain.

2. Steam the rice in a cheesecloth-lined steamer basket over simmering water 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and chewy.

3. Warm the coconut milk, sugar, and salt until the sugar dissolves. Pour about two-thirds over the hot rice, stir, and let sit 20 minutes.

4. Simmer the remaining coconut milk with the cornstarch mixture until slightly thick.

5. Serve the rice with mango slices, the thick sauce, and sesame seeds.

Part of The First Year Date Passport from Flower City Ceremonies.