While nothing says ‘I care’ or ‘look at me go’ like homemade dumplings, sometimes frozen ones are a total lifesaver when we’re running out of time. And when we make a dinner out of frozen dumplings, normally we just boil them, steam a pile of Asian greens…

We wish we had the skill and dexterity to make the famous pulled wheat flour noodles of China's west and north – it’s mesmerising watching these being made. Cooks start by stretching their dough and folding it in a way that apparently lines up the gluten strands…