Saturday, June 2, 2012

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Around the world in 30 dumplings

A dumpling may "only" be a pocket of dough filled with some form of savory or sweet stuffing. That, at least, is how we're defining them for the purposes of this article.

But they're more than the sum of their parts, a marvel of world cuisine, both simple and complex, local and global, adaptable yet fixed in their home regions as cheap, tasty staples to snack on.

We're pretty sure that, among their various incarnations, there are few travelers who will not have found at least one dumpling to their taste.

But if you happen to be among that minority, here are 30 dumplings -- or their near relatives -- to change your mind.

1. Xiaolongbao

Xiaolongbao
Soup in a wrap.
Served steamed in bamboo baskets, xiaolongbao look different from other types of Chinese dumplings, as the skin is gathered and pinched at the top instead of folded in half. 
Xiaolongbao are also unique in that aside from the traditional pork filling, a small piece of aspic is folded into the dumpling, which melts when steamed.
Thanks to the broth injection, the filling stays moist and flavorful.
Try it at: Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant南翔饅頭店, Yuyuan Bazaar, 378 Fuyou Road, Shanghai, China 

2. Ravioli

ravioli
As Italian as a dumpling can get.
Ravioli can be packed with anything from meat to cheese to vegetables, or any combination thereof.  
If the processed canned or bagged varieties familiar to lazy college students makes up your only impression of ravioli, rectify that as soon as possible. Preferably with a trip to Rome.
Try it at: Trattoria Dell’OMO, Via Vicenza 18, al Centro Storico di Roma, Rome, Italy; +39 6 490 411; www.trattoriadellomoroma.com

3. Sichuan spicy wonton 

sichuan wonton
Chili, pepper and Shichuan. Spicy doesn't get much better.
The spicy Sichuan wonton, or chao shou, comes to the table drenched in a spicy chili oil flavored with the Sichuan peppercorn and a black vinegar sauce.
The chao shou is boiled and the very best specimens are so slippery they're nearly impossible to pick up with chopsticks. 
The combination of savory meat, smooth wonton skin and tongue-numbing yet surprisingly savory and vinegary sauce makes for the most pleasant runny nose you've ever had.
Try it at: Long Chao Shou抄手61 Chengshou St., Chengdu, Sichuan, China

4. Manti

manti
Mongol legacy.
Manti hail from Central Asia -- they're eaten in places such as Turkey, northwestern China, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan -- and are very closely related to East Asian variants of dumplings.  
Adopted by Turks who traveled across Central Asia during the Mongol Empire, these dumplings can be filled with lamb, beef, quail, chicken or left unfilled.
Turkish manti are served with yogurt and spiced with red pepper and melted butter.
Try it at: Bodrum Manti 1. Cadde 111, Arnavutköy, Turkey; +90 212 263 29 18; www.bodrummantı.com

5. Bryndzové halušky

halusky
Who said dumplings were cute and light?
A national dish in Slovakia, bryndzové halušky is a dish of potato dumplings served with bryndza, a Slovakian sheep cheese, and sprinkled with bacon or pork fat.
The combination of cheese and bacon makes this a national dish almost everyone can agree on.
Try it at: Prašná Bašta, Zámočnícka 11, 811 03 Bratislava, Slovakia; +421 2 5443 4957; www.prasnabasta.sk 

6. Siomay

A steamed fish dumpling served with vegetables and peanut sauce, siomay might be called the Indonesian street food take on siumai, traditionally found in Cantonese dim sum restaurants.
Adopted from Chinese Indonesian cuisine, the most popular variant of siomay is found in Bandung. The best way to sample these dumplings is from a street vendor carting a steamer on his bicycle. 
Try it at: Siomay Pak Lili, Jl. Geger Kalong Girang, Bandung, Indonesia

7. Shrimp wonton

wonton hong kong
Most debated dumpling in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong-style shrimp wonton is a thick dumpling holding shrimp and minced pork. It's commonly served with thin egg noodles or on its own in a seafood broth. 
Many a heated debate over the best shrimp wonton has been heard locally, but there's never any arguing over its prime place in the Hong Kong diet.
Try it at: Wing Wah Noodle Shop, 89 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong; +852 2527 7476

8. Pierogi

pierogi
That one special step changes everything.
Originating in Central and Eastern Europe, pierogi are most commonly thought of as Polish. 
These dumplings can be stuffed with potato, minced meat, cheese, fruit or sauerkraut. They're usually boiled, then pan-fried in butter with onions.
This finishing flourish is the selling point of the dish, adding another layer of flavor in the pan.
Try it at: Pierogarnia, 28/30 Ul Bednarska, Warsaw, Poland; +48 22 828 03 92; www.pierogarnianabednarskiej.pl

9. Modak

Modak is a sweet from Maharashtra offered to Lord Ganesh during the Ganesh festival every August. The teardrop-shaped dumpling is kneaded from rice flour and stuffed with coconut and jaggery, an unrefined whole cane sugar.
The best modak are found in homes celebrating the Ganesh festival in Maharastra -- those sold in sweet shops are nothing like the real thing.
Try it at: Butter up an acquaintance from Maharastra and ask to sample modak the next time August rolls around.

10. Kartoffelknoedel

kartoff
The small dish that could (be the star).
Found across Germany, kartoffelknoedel, or potato dumplings, usually accompany meat dishes.
The Bavarian variant combines both raw and cooked potato, stuffed with a crouton or bread filling. 
Not the star player on the dinner plate, they nevertheless play a crucial supporting role. 
Try it at: Café am Beethovenplatz, Goethestrasse 51, Munich, Germany; +49 89 552 9100; www.mariandl.com

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