fried dumpling curry

I like to call myself a citizen of the world.  Pakistan, Hong Kong, America – 3 places I could very well call home. 3 cultures that have shaped me into the open-minded, food-loving, free spirit I am today.

There are lots of names for people like me: Third Culture Kids, Global Nomads, Citizens of the World, Detached, Alienated…OK, maybe I made up the last two…

To speak in metaphor, I would call myself a fried dumpling curry.

I’ve chosen this mythical (?) dish as a representation of myself for a number of reasons:

1.) A fried dumpling curry draws from the culinary techniques and ingredients of all 3 countries/special administrative regions I belong to: Fried (sorry, America), dumplings (HK), curry (Pakistan, of course).

2.) The preparation of such a dish would be quite time consuming and complex.  The depth of flavor in the curry is achieved only after hours of nurturing and with an exact blend of spices.  The dumpling is very sensitive, er delicate, and must not be mishandled.  And because it is fried, it is just plain yummy.

3.) While it might sound quite delicious at first, a recipe containing more dumplings than curry will leave the dish dry.  Over frying the dumplings is likely to drown the curry in grease.  And a curry that is too spicy will overpower the dish making it unpalatable. Balance here is key.

4.) And finally, if my dish had any hopes of getting on the menu at a respectable American restaurant there’d be piles of paperwork, $$$ in lawyer fees and a 11-12 year wait.  At least. In a Cantonese restaurant, the dish would always be an outsider to the authentic dim sum.  And at a Pakistani restaurant, well, let’s just say it would be like serving a pork dumpling to a table of Muslims – not welcome!

Yes, I think fried dumpling curry sums me up pretty darn well.

What about you? What would you be?