The Astronomer and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary a month late this year due to being displaced from our Altadena home following January’s wildfires. Even though our homecoming coincided with our anniversary, we didn’t honor the occasion until our house was properly remediated from top to bottom. We’re responsible like that.

After getting our affairs mostly in order, we relived our wedding banquet at Five Star Seafood Restaurant in San Gabriel, and I prepared something delicious inspired by antiquated anniversary gifts, just like I’ve done for every anniversary since our first in 2011. Thus far in our marriage, The Astronomer has been gifted edible interpretations of Paper, Cotton, Leather, Fruit, Wood, Sugar, Wool, Bronze, Pottery,  Tin, Steel, Silk, Lace, and Ivory.

While the filling was easy to assemble — just a combination of shrimp, bamboo shoots, garlic, and seasonings — the wrappers were far fussier, requiring a trio of starches and a deft hand to manipulate the gluten-free dough. I have consumed hundreds, if not thousands, of dumplings in my lifetime. This was my first time making the delicate parcels at home.

Following months away from home, reaching for my trusty steamer and whizzing the shrimp in my vintage Cuisinart felt like a gift. The end results paled in comparison to what’s on offer at my local dim sum spot, but still, I was grateful to tackle the recipe in the comfort of my kitchen for the special celebration.

Here’s to more dumplings and fewer climate disasters, my darling Vernon.

For the filling

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/3 cup canned bamboo shoots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon canola or other neutral-flavored oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

For the dough

• 120g sweet potato starch
• 90g tapioca strach
• 60g wheat starch
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 200g boiling water
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Cornstarch, for dusting

Make the filling: Finely chop the shrimp until it resembles a thick paste, with a few larger chunks. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add the bamboo shoots, garlic, cornstarch, oyster sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and white pepper, mixing with flexible spatula until well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 15 minutes, or until ready to form dumplings (up to overnight).

Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, wheat starch, and salt. Pour the boiling water over the starches and, without mixing, cover immediately with plastic wrap. Allow the boiling water to steam the starches for 10 minutes. Remove the plastic and add the canola oil, mixing with a flexible spatula until a crumbly dough forms. Knead with your hands until the dough is very smooth, 3 to 4 minutes.

Divide the dough in half, keeping one half well-wrapped in plastic. Working with the other half, form the dough into a 1-inch-thick log. With a bench scraper, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces.

Working with one piece at a time, roll into a smooth ball. On a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, flatten the ball of dough with your palm and then, using a dowel rolling pin, roll out to a 3 1/2-inch round. [I used a tortilla press for this step.]

Lift the round of dough off the work surface, and top with 2 teaspoons shrimp filling. Carefully pull up and pleat the dough to enclose the filling. Place the dumpling on a large rimmed baking sheet dusted with cornstarch. Repeat to form 32 dumplings with the remaining dough and filling.

Steam the dumplings: Working in batches, arrange the dumplings in a steamer, spaced at least 1/2 inch apart. Steam for 7 minutes. Allow the dumplings to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Ain’t love grand?

• Year One: Paper
• Year Two: Cotton
• Year Three: Leather
• Year Four: Fruit
• Year Five: Wood
• Year Six: Candy
• Year Seven: Wool
• Year Eight: Bronze
• Year Nine: Pottery
• Year Ten: Tin
• Year Eleven: Steel
• Year Twelve: Silk
• Year Thirteen: Lace
• Year Fourteen: Ivory