DIY dumplings

HIAS Gourmet

Take a private class or join a larger group in this modern, well-equipped courtyard kitchen and learn to make meat and vegetarian dumplings, as well as folding techniques and how to prepare condiments such as chilli oil.

Private classes: 300RMB per person for five-12 people; 1,500RMB for up to four people.

Black Sesame Kitchen

Regular dumpling classes are available here. You'll learn how to make various fillings and get handy tips such as which flour is best for making wrappers. On Sunday 22, you can also join the annual Chinese New Year's Eve 'Open House', which includes a dumpling-making lesson, all-you-can-eat dumplings, beer and mulled wine.

Home-style dumpling class: 1-4pm Sat 14, 1-2pm Thur 26; 300RMB per person. Open House: 5-8pm Sun 22; 150RMB per person.

Hutong Cuisine

Chunyi Zhou grew up making dumplings in her parents' shop in Guangdong, so who better to teach you how to pleat and fold the perfect dumpling? Hutong Cuisine is also now in a bigger location, with more classes and add-on options such as market visits and an introduction to Chinese condiments.

6-9.30pm Tue 3; 10.15am-1.30pm Thur 12 & Fri 20. 240RMB per person.

The Hutong

This community courtyard has become a haven for food classes. Best of all, head to The Hutong on Thursday 26 January for a special dumpling-making class combined with a screening of classic chun jie flick The Spring Festival, as part of Time Out's Spring Festival Cinema!

10am-12.30pm Wed 4 & Sat 21, 2-4pm Wed 11, 2-4.30pm Mon 24, 5pm Thur 26 (followed by film screening). 240RMB per person (200RMB for members).

China Culture Center

You can learn about more than just dumplings at this gathering space for all things relating to Chinese culture. A jiaozi and noodle-making class are available this month, where you can not only eat dumplings but learn the stories behind them.

6.30-8.30pm Tue 18. 200RMB per person (150RMB for kids under 12).