I can’t remember if I officially declared it, but at Supergenius HQ 2018 was known as the Year of the Bean. I made lots of things with beans — Cuban black beans, countless chilis, cassoulets, red beans and rice, three-bean soup. If the recipe called for hydrating dried beans and turning them into food, I was all over it.

There were so many beans in 2018 that I’m basically beaned out. The thought of making a chili makes me want to run far, far away.

Want to know what I’m not sick of? Noodles. Thus I am declaring 2019 the Year of the Noodle/Dumpling.

This was inspired by a fabulous Thai Red Curry Chicken Noodle Soup I made a month ago. It was a soup so good I made it two weeks in row, which is something I never do. I think my brother-in-law Ben and I ate a gallon of the soup between the two of us.

I’m super excited for the Year of the Noodle/Dumpling. I don’t often cook with Asian flavors even though I love them and my kitchen is stocked with all kinds of soy/fish/five spice goodness.

This week I’m going to attempt my first steamed dumpling. I can’t wait.