Dumpling New: A Wake Up Wonton from Mamalan’s Chef Ning Ma

Recipes Dumpling New: A Wake Up Wonton from Mamalan’s Chef Ning Ma

If you love dumplings and want a sweet twist on a Chinese classic, Ning Ma’s coffee and butter icing filled Wake Up Wanton is the perfect breakfast treat.

Raised in Beijing, the chef behind Mamalan, London’s favorite Beijing street food restaurant, wanted to bring an unexpected buzz to the classic dumpling to celebrate the opening of W Shanghai.

Adding coffee jelly, a vanilla butter icing, and some sugar to a fried wonton recipe, the innovative chef celebrates the coffee culture of London while being true to the tradition of dumpling making. “In China, we can make dumplings out of anything.” Chef Ma says, “I remember at a young age trying to identify what type of ingredients were inside. It’s a big part of our culture.”

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Go inside the kitchen with Chef Ma at Mamalan and learn how sweet a dumpling can be.

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Bringing London's love of coffee to the table with a Shanghai twist, this little treat can be served hot or room temperature and eaten for breakfast or dessert.
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"Dumplings are something I go for when I need comfort," says Chef Ma. "Plus, it's really good fun cooking them with friends or family."
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Start off with a wonton pastry or sweet pastry that can be fried.
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Make a jelly with a nice, strong coffee. It will melt into a warm soup once the dumpling is fried.
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Fold the corners in to make a little pouch with two open pockets.
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Ma used a money pouch fold for the wonton to represent London's cultural richness.
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Have the butter icing prepped and ready for after you've fried the dumplings.
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The vanilla butter icing is the perfect sweet touch with the warm coffee inside.
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Add a sauce with berries or vanilla, or just keep it plain.
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The perfect snack for morning, with afternoon coffee, or dessert!

Still hungry? Take Chef Ma’s exclusive food tour around the diverse culinary neighborhood of Mamalan’s original location: Brixton Village.

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