Learn to make dumplings in Taipei

learning to make dumplings in Taipei

Cookinn Taiwan is a great little cooking school location in Taipei City. So many people recommended it for learning how to make dumplings in Taipei, which I had to see for myself. So I spent half a day there to see what the fuss was about.

RELATED: Cooking class in Ho Chi Min City

CookInn cooking school in Taipei was clean and modern

Why make dumplings in Taipei?

Taiwan is home to the famous Soup dumplings, also called Xiao Long Bao. They were made famous thanks to Din Tai Fung but originated in Shanghai. The secret to Din Tai Fung Xiao Long Bao is not just the perfectly balanced taste, but also the distinct 18 pleats it takes to complete a xiao long bao.

Also. Everyone loves dumplings. Right?

Steamed dumplings with a black vinegar and ginger dipping sauce, with a hint of chilli on a cold rainy day, sounds fabulous! It almost makes me wish I was sitting somewhere cold!

Learning to make dumplings in the home of Din Tai Fung seemed appropriate, and I was excited to crack on with the lesson.

The cooking class menu

The set menu for the class I had chosen to join had a great balance of dishes.

  • Pork xiao long bao
  • Braised beef noodle soup
  • Taiwanese smashed cucumber salad
  • Bubble milk tea

Before class started, there was a short market tour at a local market. We were able to ask questions about unfamiliar ingredients. The chef also explained some things to us as we walked. We stopped at a small local stand selling pancakes where we were able to sample some free of charge. So that was a really nice touch.

They do have a vegetarian class for those that don’t eat meat. But if you’re looking for some great vegetarian street food options in Taiwan, click here.

The ingredients for the braised beef noodle soup dish

Class times and prices

Classes on: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Time: 9:30 – 13:00 (Includes lunch obvs)
Price: NTD 2,500/per person
Language: English, Japanese, Chinese

Making the dumplings

The class I booked was in English. At the same time, there was 1 Japanese speaking girl who had her own teacher but worked alongside us. It was good to see how the school handled different languages.

It was also fun hearing everything said in English and Japanese!

The gelatine chicken stock has already been made and measured into the correct chunks. All we had to do was slice it down and mix it with the pork mince and seasoning.

The dumpling wrappers we made by us by hand. I found this part quite rewarding as I am used to buying the wrappers. It was really good to see how they are actually made and find out just how easy it actually is!

The cooking school instructors taught us how to weigh the dough exactly, and how to roll them flat. We were given a ruler to ensure they were the correct size, as per Din Tai Fung’s recipes. I found that quite amusing.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to do the 18 folds exactly!!

Super cheesy shot of me fumbling with the dumplings

Dumplings for lunch!

Of course, after we made out dumplings it was time to eat them!

We were given a bowl of delicious beef noodle soup, and we had plated up our cucumber salad. Of course, I ordered a beer to wash it all down with too 😉

How did we do?

You should definitely learn to make dumplings in Taipei next time you are passing through. The class is fun and easy, and the dumplings are delicious! Book direct with CookInn.

Last cheesy shot of the dumplings I made at CookInn cooking school in Taiwan.
Follow:
Round The World Rachel
Round The World Rachel

Rachel Cunningham is a Superyacht Chef and World Adventurer.
With over 110 countries visited in the past 15 years, Rachel wants to you to come along for the ride! Bring a bottle of rum, and a bikini, oh yeah, and your passport. You could end up losing all three items by the end of this journey!
Round the world Rachel takes you off the beaten track to beaches, bars and restaurants of the unknown!

Find me on: Web | Instagram | Facebook

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Affiliate Links

This website contains affiliate links. Where necessary, these links have been highlighted for you. If you click them and make a purchase, I will get a small commission. I only promote companies I use and think you will enjoy too.

It won’t cost anything extra if you book through my affiliate links, but it will go a long way to ensuring that I can keep bringing you epic travel content!

Thanks for your support 🙂