Dumpling Delights

Momos, Lake front Hotel, Pokhara, Nepal

Steamed dumpling, Restaurante Vietnamita, Bcn

Ada, Agnolotti, Asida, Akashiyaki, Aushak, Banku, Buuz, Bhajia, Ba-wan, Bánh bao, Bánh chưng, Bánh lá, Bánh tẻ, Bánh tét, Baozi, Bolinhas de carne, Blodpalt, Borș de burechiușe, Bryndzové halušky, Ball, Baill, Belyashi, Boraki, Chuchvara, Coxinhas, Cha siu bao, Crystal dumplings, Cepelinai, Chiburekki, Caozai guo, Capuns, Chapalele, Ci fan tuan, Corunda, Crab rangoon, Dim sum, Ducana, Dushbara, Dango, Dhokla, Didžkukuliai, Empanada, Fritter, Fun guo, Fufu, Fara, Gujhia, Guoti, Galuska or nokedli, Gombóc, Gnocchi, Gyoza, Gulha, Halušky, Hallaca, Har gow, Hujiao bing, Idli, Idrijski žlikrofi, Johnny Cake, Jau Gok, Jiaozi, Klotremat, Krumme, Kromme, 

Char siu Bao in Fatty Bao, Mumbai, India

Kroppkaka, Kams, Klabbe, Klimp, Kibbeh, Khinkali, Kreplach, Kubbeh, Knish, Kachori, Karanji, Kajjikayi, Klyocki, Kozhakkattai Modak or Modhaka or Modagam or Sugiyan, Kudumu, Klubb, Kløbb, Komle, Kumle, Kompe, Kumpe, Kodla, Kudle, Klot, Kams, Komperdøse, Kumperdøse, Kompadøs, Knedlík, Knedliček, Kloß, Knödel, Nockerl or Knöpfle, Klopse or Klöpse, Knöpfle, Kenki, Kluski, Kalduny, Kenkey, Khuushuur, Koldūnai, knedle, Knoephia, Kopytka, Kozhukkattai, Kreplach, Kueh tutu, Kuih kochi, Kundumy, Lo mai gai, Lukhmi, Melkkos, Manti, Mjölpalt, Mandu, Manduguk, Mandugwa, Maultaschen, Mataz, Matzah ball, Momo, Modak,

Mohnnudel, Nagasari, Nocken, Ñoquis, 

Aubergine and cheese Empanada, La Neura, Barcelona

Orama, Ovocné knedlíky, Pierogi, Pidi, Pitha, Pastéis, Pantruca, Papas rellenas, Pasteles, Pirohy, Palt, Pamonha, Pelmeni, Pozi, Potetball, Pickert, Quenelle, Qatayef, Raspeball, Ruter, Ruta, Raskekako, Risk, Ravioli, Rissole, Rivels, Samosa, Schupfnudel, Scovardă, Shegjian mantou, Shlishkes or "Krumplinudli", Shishbarak, Siew mai or Shumai, Silesian dumplings, Siopao, Serviettenknödel, Szilvásgombóc, Šaltanosiai, Samsa, Souskluitjies,

Sui kao, Tamale, Tamalito, Tang bao, Tihlo, Tortellini, Tortelloni, Tangyuan, Uszka , Ushki, Urechiuşe, Varenyky, Vushka, Vushki, Virtiniai, Wonton, Xiaolongbao, Yomari, Zhaliang and finally, Zongzi. 

Recognize any? Did I miss any? Let me know!

Restoran Key Way Dim Sum, KL, Malaysia

Cheese+bacon pierogi, Slovak Pub, Slovakia

 
Have I gone utter nuts? Or am I just being the Dumpling Librarian in writing down the various names that this bite/ hand sized morsel of deliciousness has around the world? From my count, that's about 190 different versions! For it seems that almost every country has a cooked ball of dough ( from different flours or potatoe) with or without and in any combination: meats; vegetables; fish or sweet stuff and which is either fried, baked, simmered, boiled or steamed. Who would have thought? Mmmmmmmmm. Thank you, Dumpling God!

Kachori, Surajkund Mela, Surajkund, India

These titbits always seem like a precursor to a meal or something to keep you going between meals or just a reason to give in to plain and simple GREED. Scarf! 

Homemade steamed 'dhokla'

Some of my abiding childhood memories have to be of snacking on something or other on hot and long drawn out summer holiday late afternoons. With a wonderful aunt, we'd spend an hour preparing a snack and then polish it off within minutes. The Gujarati 'dhokla' is one such snack - light, fluffy and easy to make. Here is a recipe - I make mine in 'idli' steamers so they come out round rather than diamond shaped but hey ho - my mouth finds no difference :-)

Fried gyozas, Simpu, Barcelona

 

I LOVE gyozas - one of the many fab Japanese inventions, especially the pan seared ones but once in a while, I am happy to have some nice and crunchy fried ones too. Always a delight to bite through piping hot fried crunch and into a delicate mix of meat, spring onions, herbs....ohhhh yummmmmmmmm, gimme some...

Pan fried gyozas, Ramen-ya Hiro, Barcelona

And to the left, my all time favourite, pan seared gyoza.. Funny how hard it is to find a place that sells delicious gyoza - the quality of the meat is important as I find that a lot of places use the worst and most fatty cuts of meat. Result? an oily concoction in your mouth that drowns out the herbs and ends with you drinking a whole bottle of beer in a gulp to wash your mouth out. Ugh.

And last, but not the least, a very small homage to Eastern European dumplings, where these are in the main course and a delicious way to fill the stomach with a hearty and yet cheap meal:

Goulash with paprika and bacon dumplings, Hrad, Bratislava, Slovakia