Why Many Chinese Like Eating Dumplings. And Why The World Does As Well

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It’s a fact that many Chinese like to eat dumplings. Chinese people eat dumplings during the Lunar New Year. They eat dumplings for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And countless others around the world regardless of background like eating dumplings too.

Growing up, when my Chinese-Malaysian family went to out to yum cha, that was when I got to eat Chinese dumplings. These days, whenever I catch up with my Asian and non-Asian friends here in Melbourne, Chinese dumplings are usually on the menu.

There are so many reasons why we like eating dumplings.

There are so many reasons why we like eating dumplings.

Defining ‘dumpling’ can be tricky. All over the world, there are dumplings of all shapes, sizes and fillings. Dumplings can be loosely thought of as ‘small pieces of dough…often wrapped around a filling’, either sweet or savoury, steamed, fried or boiled. They are often thought of as an easy, simple meal. But different dumplings have different origins, and each of us has our own reasons for eating dumplings.

For many Chinese, eating Chinese dumplings is a kind of superstition, a celebratory occasion where we feel hope, peace and a sense of completeness. In China, jiǎo zi (饺子) are eaten during the Spring Festival to usher in the Lunar New Year, marking new beginnings. These dumplings are each shaped like a (crescent) moon with rugged patterns across their skins and edges; in Chinese culture the moon is symbolic of promising abundance and brightness. Eat dumplings, eat harmony and prosperity.

Growing up in Malaysia, during Chinese New Year festivities in Malaysia, me and the extended Cantonese-speaking family always had yum cha breakfasts and lunches. We’d order dumplings like gao choi gao/jiǔ cài jiǎo (韭菜饺, shrimp-chives), har gao/xiā jiǎ (虾饺,shrimp), siu mai/shāo mài (烧卖, shrimp-pork with yellow skins) and chiu chou fun guo/cháo zhōu fěn guǒ (潮州粉果, pork-shrimp) – must-orders. We ate them for so long and they made our family yum chas back then assuredly complete.

To many typical traditional Chinese, eating dumplings is eating a meal worth in gold, literally. Dumplings like the jiǎo zi and yellow-skinned siu mai personify good financial fortune, metaphorically reminiscent of gold and silver ingots that were used as currency in ancient China. During the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1279AD), jiǎo zi was a form of paper currency. Also, breaking down the name jiǎo zi: jiǎo translates to “crossing” and zi the time between 11pm and 1am. Eat dumplings, eat your way to riches and an affluent new beginning. While today the paper currency is no longer used, ingots are still commonly used as ancestral offerings, continuing revered tradition in Chinese culture.

For many Chinese, part of the fun that comes with eating dumplings is making and plating them up together. Togetherness and the notion of family are virtues in Asian cultures. It takes time to knead dumpling dough, mince filling and wrap flattened dough around measured quantities of filling – all made by hand amidst gossiping with each other to pass the time making a meal of dumplings.

There's always a story behind each dumpling, where it's from and how it's made.

There’s always a story behind each dumpling, where it’s from and how it’s made.

My Chinese-Malaysian family in Malaysia were never up for making dumplings from scratch, though. When dumplings were on the menu for extended-family dinners at home, one of us would go down to the slippery wet market, precariously queue up and buy pork mince and ready-made wonton (wàhn tān/yún tūn, 云吞) wrappers there. Back at home, my grandma and aunt would spend hours assembling the wontons together and then simmering them in pork-bone broth for dinner, for everyone at the dinner table.

And consequently eating Chinese dumplings is often a meal where you share. In Chinese culture, teamwork punches above individuality; sharing is dignified, just like how many Chinese share tiny apartments with family and naturally spoon food onto each other’s plates. Sure, you can order a whole plate of dumplings and have it all to yourself. But there are only so many dumplings you can eat, and Chinese dumplings are almost always made to share, coming in an even number 6, 8, 12 or more pieces per plate.

There’s the misconception that all dumplings are distinctively Chinese. They aren’t. There are African dumplings. Indian dumplings. Japanese dumplings. South American dumplings. And more. From souskluitjies to samosas to gyozas to empandas, there are countless versions of the dumpling. Some dumplings originated during the Eastern Han Dynasty in ancient China to keep locals warm in winter, some from a Roman cookery text and the word ‘dumpling’ itself is rumoured to date back to the 1600s in the Norfolk area in the UK. But mention dumplings, a lot of the time many Australians will think of dumplings as part of Chinese or Asian cuisine – in the city of Melbourne, countless restaurants serving dumplings brand themselves as Chinese.

Perhaps Chinese dumplings are more popular because they tend to come across as palatable. A kind of food so different, yet so similar to some of us. As philosophy blogger Randall Collis said here, Chinese dumplings are similar to Western pasta such as ravioli, and so perhaps appear approachable to non-Chinese who eat pasta. Also, many Chinese dumplings don’t look much like adventurous food – they tend to be small, dainty, pieces of almost-finger-like food that can be easily popped in the mouth, more friendly compared to a sharp-edged, spicy samosa.

Dumplings are meant to be shared.

Dumplings are meant to be shared.

Whenever me and my white Australian friend and peace-loving blogger Rebecca Rossi catch up, we usually do dumplings. Din Tai Fung is where we like to go, and my lovely friend always places orders for savoury veggie jiǎo zi and sweet taro paste baos (baos are arguably dumplings as they fit the definition). This restaurant is on the pricey side and some nights there are queues for a table. In a sense, while some dumplings are cheap convenient eats, some are more upmarket which we can call a treat. Either way, dumplings are essentially made with a patient touch and the time of another’s heart. As American chef Julia Child said on nouvelle cuisine:

“It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate – you know someone’s fingers have been all over it.”

All around the world, food tastes different, made different and served different, dumplings included. Some might say many places in Australia serve Westernised, non-authentic Chinese dumplings. Compared to eating jiǎo zi, sui mai and har gao in Malaysia and Singapore, many Chinese dumplings I’ve eaten in Australia have incredibly thicker and tougher skin, grittier filling and are saltier. In America, it seems that Westernised Chinese dumplings are common too. A few times I’ve ordered jiǎo zi in Melbourne and they came with straight up soy sauce; traditionally in Chinese culture, eating dumplings come with a vinegar-soy sauce combination or straight up vinegar.

Then again, our taste buds and palates are always changing, and hybrid cuisine is becoming more popular as the world is becoming more multicultural. Chocolate dim sum dumplings, anyone? Or how about bacon cheeseburger dumplings? Or the so-called dumpling the Aussie dim sim which isn’t wholly Chinese food? Just as there are different kinds of dumplings, there are different ways to eat dumplings.

Unlike many a dumpling meal with my friends these days, during yum cha with the family when I was little (and even today), we never ate Chinese dumplings exclusively on their own. Apart from siu mai and har gao, dad ordered other yum cha items like radish cake, chicken glutinous rice and egg tart to make a well-rounded meal. Generally, eating dumplings is fairly healthy if they are vegetable based and not deep-fried – and if you use common sense and watch how many you eat like any other food.

Dumplings make the world go round.

Dumplings make the world go round.

One might argue it can be hard to find a bad dumpling. One of my beer-loving, white Aussie friends once described dumplings this way:

“When you want good Asian food like tasty dumplings, it’s best to go to a place that is packed with Asians. But, bad dumplings are good dumplings.”

No matter how they taste, there’s always a certain air of excitement when it comes to eating dumplings. Bad dumplings still somewhat fill you up. When you don’t remember what dumplings you ordered, it’s like a game of roulette picking at plates of them in front of you with chopsticks (and dropping dumplings on the floor like I do) in hope of finding a good one that you may like. It’s constantly a laugh trying to put a sizable dumpling whole into your mouth. No matter who we are, Chinese dumplings are what so many of us can agree on when it comes to a meal, serving up priceless physical and emotional connections that make a good meal.

A good simple meal with the goodness of love.

Do you like eating dumplings? Have you eaten bad dumplings?

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320 thoughts on “Why Many Chinese Like Eating Dumplings. And Why The World Does As Well”

  1. What a scrumptious post, Mabel 😀 Really enjoyed reading about the Chinese custom of eating dumplings. WE have similar dishes in India, called samosa, shingara, dolma and momo. Momo, in fact, is a popular and delicious dish originally from Tibet. I love eating dumplings.

    By the way, are Chinese dim sums almost similar to dumplings?

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  6. Just got back from a trip in China – and yes, not a better feeling than getting ready for a meal of Chinese dumplings. I love mine boiled, just because for the first year in China that is how I always had them (we’d prepare them and then put them in boiling water and then add cold water 3 times (adding each time the water began to boil and the dumplings rise to the top…) ~ the whole preparation was almost as fun as eating them. Almost…nothing tastes better, and for me, it is true comfort food. Something so good, so full of culture as you’ve expressed throughout your post – which is another reason I like them so much. It is a bit like eating history and culture ~ and fried and steamed are good as well 🙂 I love them all. Your second photo is a perfect capture of the ‘happiness’ dumplings bring – so inviting!

    Wonderful post Mabel, and I’m headed back into China tomorrow so more dumplings to come my way 🙂 It is strange to see all the different types of dumplings in the world, and especially all the new creative ways to serve dumplings as you mention in your post…but it is the basic, simple dumpling that has the most flavor and character to me (with a little vinegar and chili to dip it into – and a perhaps a clove of garlic nearby to enjoy as well). Cheers to a great day…I’m hungry… 🙂

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    • Have a good time in China, Randy. May you have more dumplings over there. There are endless of them over in that part of the world. Maybe putting cold water over the boiled ones three times is the secret to making them delicious 🙂 “so full of culture” You said it so well and that is the essence of dumplings, carrying the history into the present. Whether they are steamed, fried or boiled, dumplings are just so inviting and it really is hard to say no to a meal of dumplings. I have to agree with you that the simplest dumplings taste the best and never fail to hit the spot so well. If you come over to my place one day, perhaps I’ll make a garlic stuffed dumpling for you 🙂

      It is interesting to hear you say you like the second dumpling photo. That one almost didn’t make it into this post. It was hard to post-process, lol.

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  8. Eating dumplings…dealing on a food topic just on how we associate with a particular food item and talk on the way we eat the dumplings. Indeed the Chinese dumplings stand out. Dumplings have their falvour and form all around the world, and yes the color and taste varies.

    Yes, every part of the world has something new to offer and they appear different but they serve a common purpose, they supply to meet our demand for hunger and our love for different taste and the delight that comes our way with the delicious food that provides a perfect food for thought. In India we have the Samosas and the Momos…the first one is deep friend and goes so well with friend green chilies, it is stuffed with potatoes and second one is boiled goes well with chutneys and usually stuffed with chicken, and both are filling for the stomach and fulfilling for the taste buds.

    Each such food items in different parts of the world has a different tradition attached to it and at the same time it unfolds new chapters to tell and some places we feel golden about it and in other places we feel the belonging to the history of the food and the togetherness while eating as a family. Some food item remains etched in the minds and hearts of the place it belongs or has the deep root of it’s origin and an aura that spreads around the beautiful creation and exciting discovery of ingredients that provides the special treat to the taster.

    As always Mabel, you bring out that wonderful perspective of multiculturalism, and here through the lens of food we eat and the way we eat and the things we do around eating and living around the food items…awesome!!!

    Thanks Mabel for such a delicious share of thoughts that is a delight for our food for thoughts.
    😀

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    • “supply to meet our demand for hunger” I think this is exactly why so many dumpling places are popping up everywhere these days. Green chillies and potato dumplings. That is quite a combination and I am sure you can’t get enough of it. Sounds like a comfort meal and a treat.

      “some places we feel golden about it” So eloquently put. We feel golden about something that touched our heart, something that brings us all together. Food can do that so magnificently. Endless ingredients means endless dishes and that in turn means endless meals together to feast and make merry.

      Thank you so much for your kind words, my friend. It is always a pleasure when we crack open a conversation between us.

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      • Mabel, you tempted me to go for an exploration of the dumplings and I could manage to have a feast of somasos which is a popular snack item in India but I had do so with my eyes as the somasos are deep fried and has very high calorie and it is irresistible once you start you have to gobble few more and there is where you lose the plot of a healthy food habit you attempt to follow…
        And today so much of experimentation is being done on the food platters you see decoration and delight go hand and hand, this is what makes the combination highly tempting and we all fall prey to such temptation of our taste buds…I am sure you must have experienced when you venture into some food courts.

        Indeed always such a joy sharing thoughts and conversing with you Mabel.
        Have a lovely weekend with my share of Dumplings this weekend…
        😀

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        • You have a lot of self-control there, Nihar, staying away from the deep-fried samosas. Now that you mention it, yes, all the samosas I had are deep fried. Not too good if you eat too many and as you said, start at one, you probably won’t stop for a while 😀

          “decoration and delight go hand and hand” You put it so well. While many food courts can be seen as a poor man’s land. But more and more of us are drawn to them for convenience and the of course, the every increasing variety there. Always love how you throw in different tangents of discussions in our converstations, my friend 🙂

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          • Yes Mabel, not easy to stay away from such tempting snack items which one tasted keeps you haunting and we look forward to those bits, balancing food and lifestyles are important to live a healthy life.
            Nature wants balance and so does our body and we need to figure it out what is good and how much good for us…
            😀

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  9. I love my dumplings to be all meat for the filling. Don’t have much patience for those chives and onions and whatnot. Which is why my favorite dumplings are the ones made by my grandma, or myself. Which is why I rarely have dumplings these days. 😦

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    • Then you might as well just eat meat on its own. It sounds like you eat for meat, the taste of meat 😀 Maybe you need to have a very expensive round of dumplings to appreciate Chinese dumpling.

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  11. I love all of the meaning attached to dumplings. I didn’t grow up food being anything more than something good to eat that was healthy or just for fun. The story behind the dumpling is not only interesting it is a celebration of eating. I wish that I had more of this kind of experience with food during my life.

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  12. YUM. I want dumplings now, this minute! Interesting post, Mabel. There sure is a lot of work that goes into making the authentic dumpling. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad dumpling. Your Aussie friend is right in that even if it is bad, it still tastes pretty good. Love the photos. So, the steamed dumplings are the healthiest?

    I like your description of family dinners and how everyone gathers to cook the dumplings. A true family event. This reminds me of when I worked at the Community Centre and the Italian families would rent the kitchen and hall out for weddings. The women would gather in the kitchen and make pasta from scratch. They would spend all day on a Friday laughing and working in that little kitchen in preparation for the big wedding the next day. I always loved observing them.

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    • I think steamed and boiled dumplings are the healthiest in that they don’t get dunked in hot oil which can be so bad for us.

      That sounds so communal, making pasta from scratch for such special occasions like weddings. It must never be a boring job, preparing delicious food you can actually get to eat (certainly there has to be leftovers) and chat with one another.

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  14. Delicious post Mabel 🙂 I have not made my own dumplings although I have threatened to attempt them on occasion, but my wife is not so enthusiastic about my abilities 😀 I do however eat plenty of them (which is probably the reason for my amazing prosperity hahaha). I haven’t been everywhere in the world, but of the places I’ve been, Ive enjoyed the dumplings from this place the most – https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d947286-Reviews-Jen_Cafe-London_England.html Talk again soon Mabel and stay warm/hot 🙂

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  15. Fantastic post! I love dumplings. The Polish dumplings are called “pierogi”. My favourite were made by my grandma, with sweet cottage cheese filling and garnished with sour cream.

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  17. You said it all right! I know you’ve read about Momo from other Indians here, and even samosa but I don’t think they mentioned about sweet ‘gujiya’ – a must during festivities in rural parts of North India.

    The fillings can be literally anything though, as you’ve said too. Saru used to make them here in the US with mashed potatoes and a few other common items and then bake them.

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  18. Mmmm dumplings 🙂 There are so many great versions – I have had many dumplings within the last year that are stuffed with pork and green onion. I didn’t know there are chocolate ones until I read your post! I’ll have to go find some 😉 Such a yummy read here today!

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  19. this is the kind of post that makes me wish I could sample from a blog post! man!

    and like the point that a bad dumpling can still be GOOD! and of course this part:
    making and plating them up together….

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    • There is nothing like coming together to share a meal, be it in a fancy restaurant or like pizza and wings 😉 This post was hard to write, very, very hard. But the more I thought about dumplings, the more I wanted to write it. I even went out to eat dumplings to take photos and many photos didn’t make the cut, lol.

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      • well it was worth the effort and I find myself wanting to read it again – so you did a great job on such a fun topic. I also remembered friends who loved ‘potstickers’ and each photo – well how cool that you went out to get the pics – I can imagine how sorting them must have been tough. and again – not to repeat what others say – but posts like this make me hungry – 🙂

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  20. When we visited China, we ate dumplings until they were just about coming out of our ears. 🙂 Eveywhere our guide took us, they served dumplings of all different shapes and with a variety of fillings. The best dumplings I’ve ever had were my mom’s, when I was a child. In winter, she often made beef stew and put dumplings to cook in it. I loved them and always wanted more than one. They were nice and fluffy and made with flour, suet, salt and baking powder. I’ve never made them myself, but just remembering them, I’m tempted to have a go. 🙂

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    • That is quite a way to describe eating dumplings :O Its seemed like your guide wanted your group to try every single dumpling there, lol. Your mum sounded like quite the chef at dumplings. But I am sure you are too if you give it a go 🙂

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  21. Yes, Mabel, I love eating dumplings and, fortunately, I haven’t eaten bad ones yet.

    Philippines’ accurate version of dumplings is empanada, one of my favorites actually. I rarely get the chance to eat it though because it’s not a staple of a typical Filipino meal. It can only be bought (usually) as a snack from cafeterias, canteens, eateries, or restaurants back home.

    Anyway, this post gave me a whole new level of appreciation for dumplings. I never thought this food has is decorated with such mouth-watering background judging by all these of these analogies. You made me realize that “eating dumpling” is not for satisfying the appetite but a whole lot more of the family thing and positive vibes. A way of preserving strong family ties through good food. A reminder of hope, peace, abundance, brightness, prosperity, fun, excitement, sharing, even sense of wealth.

    Now I say, dumplings are like a piece of magical, edible gold—if you may where there are two options: preserve it for its magical properties and/or devour it for its goodness. Either way, it’s a win-win.

    But you know what really got me? This: “Dumplings are essentially made with a patient touch and the time of another’s heart.” I forget about this most of the time. This part is one of those big things that are underappreciated or neglected.

    See, I’m a meticulous cook.This entails making sure that ingredients and stuff are prepared the way they should be. I wash vegetables and other ingredients like I brush my teeth. I cook meat like I work in the office—for a long period of time—to make sure no bacteria lives…

    I could just imagine the “complicated” preparation involved in making and cooking dumplings.
    It just dawned on me that there’s indeed so much work in cooking a meal and what you said is absolutely right. It takes patience, time, and heart to come up with a good meal. Dumplings in this case.

    Thank you for sharing this!

    PS

    I’m gonna be on holidays next week and will see to it that I eat empanada. No, lots of it. I’ll remember the post for sure.

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    • “dumplings are like a piece of magical, edible gold”. Yet again, you say it so well, Sony. I smiled at that because it is such an accurate description of the art and moment of eating dumplings.

      It never really is about just chewing and swallowing food. So often there are underlying emotions tied to the food we eat. Even fast food takes time to be prepared – though made fast, a lot of the time they hit the spot…sure, the bad ingredients make them delicious but still there is a person putting the food together…

      I am like you, taking my time to wash food I am preparing and making sure it is fresh. I can easily spend 2, 3 hours from preparing the ingredients to plating up. Washing up is another story altogether but if cooking is what we like, we won’t mind it. Maybe we can cook a meal together one day, who knows. It probably will be a cultural fusion meal we’ll make together 🙂

      Happy holidays, Sony. Enjoy yourself and I look forward to seeing more photos from you 🙂

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  22. I have to admit I think I have only had Chinese dumplings once, and my other half unfortunately, prefers the Dim sim, but I am not much of a pasta/ Ravioli/dumplings fan. Perhaps I will try them again! I did try the Polish variety of dumplings, in Poland recently, called Pierogi. There was sweet and savoury fillings as well, but again, there might be other meals that I would choose above them, given the choice. Right now, I am enjoying some Malaysian Pineapple Rolls – courtesy of a dear Malaysian friend and they are divine!!!
    Something you wrote caught my attention:
    “… eating Chinese dumplings is often a meal where you share. In Chinese culture, teamwork punches above individuality; sharing is dignified…”
    These words resonated with me, Mabel. I love this concept of sharing and think it could counteract the disconnection and marginalization certain people feel in our society. It is such a communal, collaborative and inclusive philosophy! I suspect that it is not only the sharing of traditional food that brings people together, but also that sense of belonging and feeling accepted for exactly who you are!

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    • I have heard so much about pierogi from the comments of this post. It seems to be a very notable kind of cuisine, and interesting to hear it has both sweet and savoury. Just by looking at them, I’m guessing their skin is thicker than Chinese dumplings.

      I love Malaysian pineapple rolls and pineapple tarts. They are a staple around this time of the year when its the Chinese New Year. Chinese egg rolls (sweet) are also something that’s very popular too.

      You are so right in that food can counteract disconnection. Food is only the surface of multiculturalism. It is can be the start of a friendship, a connection, leading to much more. We all need to eat, it’s something we all do.

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  24. Hi Mabel, I thoroughly enjoyed your post on dumplings and learned a lot. It is one of my favorite foods and we feel lucky in SF to have lots of great places to have dim sum. When we lived in Sydney, we loved to go to Din Tae Fung and have been to the one in LA. Thanks for a well-written and deliciously themed post. 😀

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  26. Being an Asian I, too, can identify with the virtues of togetherness and notion of family. We Indians also have dumplings, as you’ve already mentioned. The post is very informative and I was happy learn so much about Chinese and Chinese-Malaysian culture.

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  27. Dumplings are among my favorite Chinese food. It is almost comfort food to me. My one (food) regret being here where I am now is that there is no place providing good dumplings. Sometimes, when I visit an Asian store, I pick some frozen bags of shrimp and pork dumplings just to satisfy my craving.

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  28. I love dumplings too – Din Tai Fung is a must visit restaurant whenever I am in South East Asia. Too bad the chain is not yet available in the Netherlands and Minnesota. I also like the dumplings from Poland, it’s called pierogi. I am guessing it was inspired by Chinese dumpling, but who knows!

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  29. Mabel, It is very interesting to read about the origin and the significance of dumplings in the Chinese culture. I love eating steamed dumplings stuffed with vegetables. Those are healthy and tasty, but I have never had a chocolate dim sum dumpling.
    We have sweet preparations in India which are similar to dumplings. One such sweet called modak is very popular in Mumbai, where I live. It is made of a wrap with coconut filling inside, which is then steamed.
    Thanks for sharing this gastronomic post. 😀

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  30. I love dumplings!
    Since I no longer eat meat I have to search for Veg based dumplings. There is a restaurant here that makes a mushroom based dumpling. I love them.
    Thank you for the information you shared. It’s nice to know why cultures create and maintain certain traditions. And what better reason then sharing and spending time together

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    • Good to hear you can get veggie dumplings. Mushroom dumplings are one of my favourite dumplings. They are also so common nowadays and hope you do find even more delicious ones. Thank you for the kind words, Tree.

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  31. My mother used to make dumplings that were cooked alongside a beef or chicken stew. In fact, it was the only time we’d have them. They were simply made from flour and water and were used instead of potatoes.
    I don’t see many dumplings in the U.K, Mabel. We tend to see far more ravioli, which comes with various fillings like the ones in your post. I suppose they are very similar, but you may disagree with me.
    I do enjoy eating ravioli and always find it a very filling meal.

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  32. Love this post! Dumplings just equal love in my household. My family normally gather together to make dumplings and it’s just a way of bonding and producing something yummy at the end! It’s so funny how sentimental dumplings are😁

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  33. Delicious post. I have to say I haven’t yet eaten dumplings. They look beautiful but I am always in a hurry when I get my take out food at itsu so grab sushi instead. I’m going to wait for them to heat up some dumplings next time. I am glad that when I eat them I will now know the significance of them. Here’s to great new beginnings ! Spring is definitely in the air here so it’s time to celebrate with a beautiful shared meal. Thank you for the prompt.

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    • I too like to be very quick with my takeaway food and usually . Hope you get to try dumpling there soon, and that they taste great – and of course, the wait for them isn’t too long 🙂

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  42. I stumbled upon your blog post and it instantly catapulted me back to my dumpling childhood memories. I think I’m gonna have to make dumplings now!

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  43. Having just had a dumpling feast for dinner, I can’t explain why, I just love them. Delicious and filling.

    They seem to have been popularised recently by brands such as Din Tai Fung and Tim Ho Wan. If you find a good yum cha restaurant, stick to it. Some places just have a winning flavour.

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    • Good, good. Dumpling feast for dinner. Hope many more of those to come for you.

      Very true. It’s actually very easy to get a place at Din Tai Fung and Tin Ho Wan in Melbourne on week day afternoons after two or before 6pm. They serve decent dumplings in my opinion…the dumpling competition is so stiff these days.

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    • Hope you get to make that chocolate and nutella dumpling. It really sounds delicious. You said it on your blog – that there is no one dumpling. Couldn’t agree with you more.

      Haha, ever since this dumpling post, I’ve eaten more dumplings and taken better dumpling photos.

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  45. Reblogged this on Dumpling Journey and commented:
    Mabel Kwong gives a thorough, insightful dive into the namesame of my blog — DUMPLINGS. With historical references to the Song Dynasty and Ancient Rome, with personal anecdotes of wrapping and sharing, and with (of course) delicious photos of savory and sweet dumplings!

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  48. Pingback: The Significance of Dumplings in Chinese Culture - Z & Y Bistro

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