In Pixar’s new short Bao, which debuted before The Incredibles 2 in theaters Thursday, a mother struggling with empty nest syndrome accidentally creates a baby dumpling that leaps to life.
Writer Domee Shi, the first woman to direct a Pixar short, was inspired by her own experiences as a child molding and cooking the Chinese dumplings with her mother. Shi’s mother even flew into the Bay Area to teach the Bao team how to make the dumplings themselves.
Shi illustrated the recipe for the perfect Bao and shared the instructions with TIME—though these versions of the dumplings won’t come to life.
Pixar's Bao Recipe
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com