Saturday, March 24, 2007

More Dumplings

I first came to Shanghai 5 years ago. 2002. I went to a huge dumpling restaurant on Nanjing Dong Lu. Could I ever find it again? I remember eating river snake meat. Not that I wanted to have that experience again, but the dumplings.... They come steaming from the kitchen like little mysteries wrapped in dough. Fillings of pork, onions and chives, mushrooms, shredded chicken... I remember.
Then suddenly, one cold windy night Kevin brings me there. THIS IS THE PLACE!!!! I shouted! This is the exact place. Still no English menu, still order by the ounce, still arrive on two plates, alomst overflowing with the mystery packages. Kevin devours them, picking them up dexterously with his chopsticks and dips them in garlicky vinegar sauce (Chinese don't add soy sauce to their food, they cook with it and them dip food into vinegar). He eats four in the time it takes me to eat one. "Just stab them with your chopsticks, he explains!" Wo xi huan bao ze- I love dumplings and my Chinese is improving!! How many dumplings can you eat? Kevin wins.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Mmmm...dumplings! Can you send recipes so I can try to make yummy dough-enclosed mysteries of my own?

Sorry I've been MIA the past couple of weeks via phone :(

Talk soon, Liz