Continued: Asian Dumplings

Nguyen recalls shaping dumplings at her mother's apron strings as a 10-year-old girl. A wonderful image, but also a reassuring thought for the neophyte: If a child can do this, you can, too. And so can your kids.

Many dumplings fit into healthy cooking: They're small, balanced, and tend to satisfy. In a word, yum.

GIVE THIS TO: Any cook who loves to have fun in the kitchen. —Phoebe Wu