As you know, Asulia is launching a new handcrafted line of fusion dumplings in chickpea, kale, and taro root. Each fusion dumpling is made locally in Boston in small batches and is certified vegan. People keep asking me how I came up with the dumpling recipes.

These recipes are a modern fusion blend of flavors from the east and west, inspired by my mother’s cooking and my travels near and far. I wanted them to be filled with healthy ingredients that would give you substance without weighing you down. I also wanted the dumplings to appeal to everyone from kids to adults, and keep them locally made in Boston. The dumplings are handcrafted to retain the texture of each filling. I tweaked and tested the recipes two dozen times until I was satisfied!

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from mom and trained chefs is to always consider the elements of taste, texture, appearance, and layering flavors. Food needs to be balanced. When you dine out, typically there’s a mix of soft and crisp textures in your dish. It makes your taste buds happy and excited!

The main ingredients in each dumpling — chickpea, kale, and taro root — have a low glycemic index. They won’t spike your glucose levels. Instead, the nutrients are absorbed more slowly and steadily. This means you won’t be in a food coma after you eat them.

Chickpea Curry Dumplings: This flavor is a variation on indian and thai curries that I grew up enjoying. It’s probably the most traditionally influenced dumpling in our line. Chickpeas are high in fiber and protein. We never use canned chickpeas in our dumplings! We soak dried chickpeas in water for 24 hours, and then carefully chop them to the right consistency to retain texture. Then we steam them and blend them with coconut milk, curry, spices, carrots and more. Cauliflower was added to round out the flavor of the curry and to add texture.

Kale Dumplings: I love kale, it’s one of my favorite foods! It’s so versatile. You can bake it, stir fry it, blend in a smoothie, eat it raw and more. This dumpling is inspired by my mom’s yummy vegetable stir fries and reminds me of the taste of her dishes. In traditional Cantonese cooking, fresh ginger and garlic are used a lot. We mix kale with freshly chopped red and white cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, spices, onions, ginger and garlic. We use shiitake mushrooms to add an element of umami to the filling.

Taro Root Dumplings: I grew up eating taro root in China, where I lived until I was five years old, but it’s less common here in the States. I love it because it has an interesting and unique taste. It has a creamy, custard-like texture and slightly nutty flavor. I like it in every form, from baked to steamed. This recipe is inspired by a dish my mom used to make for me growing up. She would steam taro and marinated meat together in a rice cooker or braise it slowly over the stove with spices. Taro root is great because it has 3 times more fiber than a potato and is a great source of potassium. We steam the taro in small batches until its fully cooked and blend in fresh scallions, toasted sesame, spices, and more to create a savory dumpling filling.