Dough wrapped around a filling
March 29, 2015 8:33 PM   Subscribe

Dumpling Week has come to Serious Eats! Learn about dumplings around the world, which frozen potstickers are best, where chicken and dumpling soup came from, and how to make your own pierogi, xiao long bao, and gyoza. It's a dumpling party!
posted by sciatrix (53 comments total) 88 users marked this as a favorite
 
oh my god I need to eat all of these things.
posted by dinty_moore at 8:42 PM on March 29, 2015 [3 favorites]


It's almost 9 at night and I just ate a late dinner, and now I am hungry again!
posted by Dip Flash at 8:42 PM on March 29, 2015


It's almost 9 at night and I just ate a late dinner, and now I am hungry again!

This is where my intermittent fasting schedule really helps me. I'm done eating until lunchtime tomorrow. And I now know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow.
posted by mikelieman at 9:00 PM on March 29, 2015


I've always been partial to Wei-Chuan's Shrimp and Leek dumplings when it comes to frozen jiaozi. And honestly frozen dumplings are generally good enough that my family hasn't bothered to home-make dumplings for years and years. (Even starting from store-bought wrappers is a huge pain.)

Hmm... I think I actually have some dumplings in the freezer right now...
posted by kmz at 9:03 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


When I go visit my parents, we usually do an afternoon of pierogi making. Big pot o' potatoes and way more cheese than seems like a good idea, then making dough in batches until we run out of potatoes. It's fun, but kind of exhausting.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:05 PM on March 29, 2015


Oh yesss the gyoza link has the proper pan fried/steamed cooking method. As long as you know this trick, you can even use frozen mass produced gyoza and they turn out great.
posted by charlie don't surf at 9:08 PM on March 29, 2015 [5 favorites]


Omits cherry filling in vareniki which is notable and delicious.
posted by olya at 9:19 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


Damn, spinach in a perogy? All these years wasted, I feel like such a fool.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:31 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


sciatrix you are the best

wait my waistline would like a word with you
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 9:36 PM on March 29, 2015 [2 favorites]


This post is making me want pierogies again. I've had vareniki here in LA, but without the soup of butter and bacon on top, I don't know... hard to compare.

When I lived in Chicago, I always used to go to a Polish restaurant at Milwaukee and North Park (not Red Apple, the other one, the one that closed when the owner went back to Poland).

When you ordered pierogies, he would ask "would you like butter or bacon on top?" To which, of course, you would say "both!"
posted by teponaztli at 9:42 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


Do piroshkies count? If so, I can highly recommend the incredibly good seattle piroshky bakery. If you're ever near Pikes market, for the love that all is tasty go eat there (also eat at the french bakery next door and the cheese factory next door).
posted by el io at 9:49 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


How to make dumplings in mass quantities.
posted by phooky at 9:51 PM on March 29, 2015


pelmeni pelmeni pelmeni pelmeni
posted by St. Hubbins at 10:10 PM on March 29, 2015 [5 favorites]


I just had lunch at Din Tai Fung last week and now I want some more xlb's. mmmm soup dumpling.
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:25 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


Man, now all I need is to find a way to make gyoza in my non-nonstick aluminum-clad-type frying pan without them sticking like crazy and I'll be one happy camper.
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:28 PM on March 29, 2015


and now I'm remembering about when we made a big batch of Shanghai-style steam-fried xiaolongbao when visiting my family for Christmas a year ago

(the basic trick is that you make the wrappers slightly thicker and basically cover your frying pan — ideally nonstick — with them side by side, twisty side down, and steam them gyoza-style and then add a bunch of oil to fry them up all nice and brown and crispy and then your life is complete)
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:30 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


The one thing I miss about working in Dupont Circle in DC is going to Julia's Empanadas for lunch. Sooo good.

And yes empanadas are dumplings
posted by Cash4Lead at 10:33 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


well of COURSE empanadas are dumplings
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:54 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


If you have trouble with your dumplings sticking when you steam fry, a sheet of baking paper (silicon paper?) will allow your dumplings to become nicely browned without sticking.
posted by mythical anthropomorphic amphibian at 11:31 PM on March 29, 2015 [2 favorites]


And: def making gyoza this week. Dumplings!
posted by mythical anthropomorphic amphibian at 11:32 PM on March 29, 2015


Well - I guess I know where I'm gonna have to go (for the first time!) this week :)
posted by symbioid at 11:50 PM on March 29, 2015


Shit - and it looks like there's ANOTHER dumpling place... but... Pel'meni!. Dumplings for all!
posted by symbioid at 11:52 PM on March 29, 2015


I love dumplings of all descriptions! But my favourites might just be har gow and perogies.

The most adventurous dumplings I've made were aushak, Afghan dumplings made with green onion filling served with a layer of yogurt sauce and a layer of meat sauce. I used the recipe in Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires--this blog has a good version. It's actually very easy and really delicious.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:26 AM on March 30, 2015 [1 favorite]


The most adventurous dumplings I've made were aushak, Afghan dumplings made with green onion filling served with a layer of yogurt sauce and a layer of meat sauce.

Oh, I've had those, they're great! There's a great Afghan restaurant in my hometown. Thanks for the recipe!
posted by teponaztli at 12:48 AM on March 30, 2015


For Seattle dumplings (and Bellingham, if you're up there), there's one spot that stands out: Dumpling Tzar. They do amazing pel'meni dumplings. Beef or potato, curry powder over the top, vinegar sauce, a dollop of sour cream, and a slice of marbled rye bread. Always the same, always delicious.

On reloading their page... Looks like they've added to the menu since I was last in. Vostok Dumpling House must be giving them more competition now.
posted by CrystalDave at 12:59 AM on March 30, 2015


No Semmelknödel?
posted by pseudocode at 1:49 AM on March 30, 2015


I haven't had my mom's Chicken And dumplings in decades, and I miss them terribly. The best part was peeking under the lid and inhaling that scalding cloud of dough-steam. Ahhhhhhh...
posted by wenestvedt at 3:16 AM on March 30, 2015


No khinkali :-(
posted by the duck by the oboe at 4:27 AM on March 30, 2015


If dumplings stretch from Poland to China, it's gotta be a Mongol thing originally, right?
posted by BinGregory at 5:15 AM on March 30, 2015


If dumplings stretch from Poland to China, it's gotta be a Mongol thing originally, right?

Or just a really, really good idea.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 6:19 AM on March 30, 2015 [2 favorites]


Oh my god this is giving me the worst craving for my grandma's chicken and dumplings.
posted by Fleebnork at 6:59 AM on March 30, 2015


Is there an alternate name for the kind of dumplings that are batter dropped into hot oil? All these recipes seem to be for the stuffed kind.
posted by bardophile at 7:08 AM on March 30, 2015


This is a little late for my girlfriend and I's Chinese New Year jiaozi competition, but I think there might be some siu mail or pierogies in our future (we already made samosas). Because I am suddenly very very hungry.
posted by Panjandrum at 7:13 AM on March 30, 2015


This is the greatest thing that's happened to me since Lucky Peach's Dumpling Month.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:52 AM on March 30, 2015 [1 favorite]


Well, well, well. These look delicious. The author, however, needs to also attend one of the dumpling festivals (Knödelfest) in Austria, where you can eat your way down the main street via Semmelknödel, Germknödel, Leberknödel, Grammelknödel, Spinatknödel, Speckknödel, Kaspressknödel, Zwetschgenknödel, Marillenknödel, Mozartknödel, Eisknödel, and Topfenknödel.
posted by meijusa at 7:56 AM on March 30, 2015 [3 favorites]


I still have some kimchi mandu I made for Western New Year's (as opposed to Lunar New Year) left in the freezer - I know what I am having for lunch!

New Year's Rice Cake and Mandu Soup is usually a two-day process for me, as I prepare the beef broth the day before and make the kimchi mandu on New Year's Day. This year I followed the ingredient proportions in this recipe, and it worked out quite well. Some changes I made were to use garlic chives instead of scallions and so omitting garlic, and using soy sauce instead of salt. Usually for kimchi mandu I add and mix ingredients from memory and feel, as I've been making kimchi mandu with my mother since I was small.

And a cheat if you have mandu but no beef broth prepared ahead of time and you really want manduguk, just use store-bought chicken broth. Beef broth doesn't work as well, as in Korean manduguk you want a clear broth.
posted by needled at 7:59 AM on March 30, 2015


Ok, I live in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood (which is a magic mixture of Latino and straight up speaking-Polish-drinking-Warka Polish people), so I'm no stranger to pierogi and I've even made some myself. But I've never had cheesesteak pierogi, and now I need to.
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:05 AM on March 30, 2015 [1 favorite]


Damn, I have a package of frozen Tian Jin pork dumplings in my freezer somewhere. Or I did... might be time to fry-steam them up.
posted by suelac at 8:08 AM on March 30, 2015


TIL that I am a pierogi traditionalist. Huh.

It's not that I'm opposed to pierogi with cheesesteak or spinach and artichoke fillings per se, but were I to make them I'd be somehow be giving myself side-eye the whole time.
posted by misskaz at 8:15 AM on March 30, 2015 [3 favorites]


now i'm just imagining hipster novelty food truck pierogi

nacho cheese pierogi
pulled pork pierogi
peanut butter pierogi
nutella pierogi
butter chicken pierogi
verde chicken chile pierogi
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2015 [2 favorites]


I skeptically asked the waitress several times, "are you sure these are sheng jian bao?" Each time, she said, "Yes. Yes, they are." Whatever they were, I enjoyed them immensely.
*bans this rude foodie dick from my restaurant forever*
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:38 AM on March 30, 2015 [3 favorites]


I miss my mom's chicken and dumplings. They were the ultimate comfort food.
posted by emjaybee at 8:48 AM on March 30, 2015


FWIW, I've had Nutella pierogi and pulled pork pierogi. Only the nutella pierogi were from a truck, though.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:56 AM on March 30, 2015


Man, now all I need is to find a way to make gyoza in my non-nonstick aluminum-clad-type frying pan without them sticking like crazy and I'll be one happy camper.

Yeah, it can be done, but it's not easy. The big trick is to make sure the bottom of each gyoza is sufficiently fried that you can get underneath it with a spatula and break them loose without ripping it to shreds. They're going to stick somewhat, so the fried side has to be cooked thoroughly. You need a little extra oil, I prefer peanut oil which has a higher smoke temp so you can cook them fairly hot, and leave the heat high during steaming, then they will get crispy again after the water is gone. Also make sure the pan is already very hot and then add oil before the gyoza (watch out for splatters, ouch, using chopsticks helps). It helps a lot if you space them out a bit. The usual way is to line them all up in rows, touching each other. If you spread them out so there's air space between them, the steam escaping from a gyoza doesn't keep the adjacent one moist, so it browns more evenly.
posted by charlie don't surf at 10:47 AM on March 30, 2015


I was struck by hunger
walking down the street.
I wanted something wrapped with dough to eat.

It's a dumpling party.
Who could ask for more?
Everybody's coming, leave your sauces at the door
Leave your dips and sauces at the door...
posted by demiurge at 10:59 AM on March 30, 2015 [2 favorites]


now i'm just imagining hipster novelty food truck pierogi

When in Toronto, you can try to find The Saucy Pierogi, which offers the following fillings:
- braised beef
- pulled pork
- jerk chicken
- sauerkraut, kimchi, and wild mushroom
- beef and pork meatball
- honey garlic chicken
- spicy mexican chorizo
Apparently they're opening a brick and mortar restaurant this year.

Loaded Pierogi, on the other hand, takes regular pierogies and just dumps all kinds of fixings on top (stealing a page from the poutine craze):
- butter chicken
- lobster and crab
- duck confit
- kimchi
- thai ginger steak
- apple and caramel

However, none of the these pierogies have had authentic Babushka saliva added during production, and are therefore fairly mediocre in my books.
posted by Kabanos at 12:28 PM on March 30, 2015 [3 favorites]


Also – shout out to Glendon, Alberta and the World's Largest Perogy roadside attraction.
posted by Kabanos at 1:12 PM on March 30, 2015




I skeptically asked the waitress several times, "are you sure these are sheng jian bao?" Each time, she said, "Yes. Yes, they are." Whatever they were, I enjoyed them immensely.

*bans this rude foodie dick from my restaurant forever*


To be fair, from the picture, those are obviously not sheng jian bao. They're a type of thick-skinned guo tie. For some reason, it's really hard to find real Shanghai sheng jian outside of Shanghai -- you either get some kind of pan-fried baozi or those thick pot-stickers. That being said, pretty much all forms of pork wrapped in dough and fried end up being tasty.
posted by bradf at 1:30 PM on March 30, 2015


Yeah, it's more the "pedantically asks someone making $8 the same question over and over, eyebrow raised" thing that sets me off. Like, she was going to cave the third time and answer differently, finally recognizing his superior dumpling knowledge?
posted by Juliet Banana at 2:00 PM on March 30, 2015 [2 favorites]


Without even reading the context, ten bucks says it was a white guy doing the badgering about Chinese dumpling authenticity
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:16 PM on March 30, 2015 [1 favorite]


Judging from the byline, you just lost 10 bucks.
posted by rewil at 5:14 PM on March 30, 2015 [3 favorites]


ow my precious outrage
posted by DoctorFedora at 5:58 PM on March 30, 2015 [2 favorites]


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