Considering the enchanting weather we’ve been blessed with lately, with threatening cloudy skies garanteeing the wonderful alternance of pouring rain and roasting hot sunshine, you’ll have to come up with a pretty good excuse to convince to get out of the house.

Hint – Chinese food is an excellent one.

Which is how last weekend, I found myself by the River at the Chinese Food Festival, sampling all the goodies from London’s best Chinese food stalls and restaurants.

Obviously, there were noodles…

Steamed buns.

Stir fry.

And my favourite – dumplings.

And not just any dumplings – Ugly Dumpling!

Judging by the queues, I’m not the only one smitten with them!

I popped by the Lee Kum Kee stand to grab the best dim sum dipping sauce…

… and commandeered a table to enjoy my loot with the most amazing views!

Foodies could also get an introduction to the basics of Chinese cuisine courtesy of the School of Wok and learn how to make a very simple Szechuan chicken stir fry – perfect for those rushed midweek dinners!

And of course, all the secrets to dumplings folding!

Not that there’s much of a secret – seeing it done is helpful, but in the end, is all about practice.

… which I definitely need more of.

Not that it’s really a problem as more dumpling folding means more dumpling eating – totally fine by me!