Eating dumplings in the winter is like receiving a warm hug or being wrapped in the softest, coziest blanket. There is such comfort to be found in pouches of handmade dough wrapped around fragrant, savory fillings. Whether they are fried or boiled or steamed, piping hot dumplings always soothe and satisfy. Every cuisine across the globe has their own variation of dumplings. While they may look and taste vastly different, they all require a delicate hand and great care to prepare. Following are some of the most delicious dumplings to be had, each representative of a different country and region, each with their own delicious and distinctive flavors.
1.) Taiwanese Pot Stickers at Bao
These dumplings are first seared in a pan with hot oil before water is added to steam them until cooked through. The bottom of the dumpling becomes crispy while the rest of the dumpling remains tender and soft. Dumplings cooked in this method are called pot stickers, and they are as much about the texture as the taste. Bao in Clayton fills their dumplings with chicken and vegetables and add the gorgeous, crispy, ethereally thin skirt to them by adding a rice flour slurry to the pan during the last moments of cooking. They are served with a black vinegar and scallion dipping sauce for $8.
2.) The Samosas at Everest Cafe
These are two large, pyramid shaped pouches containing tender potatoes and onion wrapped like origami in a flaky pastry. When torn open, the aroma of coriander hits you immediately. The luxurious richness to the filling and layers of golden crust make the samosas remarkable. They are served with a moderately sweet red tamarind sauce and costs $4.95. Also worth trying at Everest Cafe are the vegetable momos—Himalayan boiled dumplings served with a spicy tomato achar. An entree sized serving costs $10.50.
3.) The Steamed Pork and Shrimp Wontons in red chili sauce at LuLu
Although these dumplings are bathed in a slick coating of bright chili sauce, they are primarily fragrant and only minimally spicy. Thin wonton skins envelop a ball of ground pork, minced shrimp, ginger, and scallions. The feeling of the oily, slippery wonton skins and the spongy texture of the filling makes for an amusing chew. An order of eight dumplings costs $6.28.
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4.) The Pelmeni at Propaganda Bar
In St. Louis, Russian dumplings, or pelmeni, are served, quite fittingly, at Propaganda Bar on Cherokee. The dumplings, which are about the size of a Sweet Gum ball, are served in a vegetable broth over a few leaves of arugula and topped with a sour cream dill sauce. The hot broth, rich with the flavors of carrot and onion acts as a nice soothing sip in between bites of dumpling. For the filling Propaganda offers potato and cheese or spiced pork. The dumpling dough here is what really makes these enjoyable. Unlike some other types of dumplings such as a soup dumplings which demand that the the skins be very thin and delicate in texture, these dumplings feature dough that is thick, chewy, and dense. And while the dough is hearty, there is enough filling to flavor the dumplings well. Your choice of vegetable or meat pelmeni comes with pita bread with a small order costing $6 and a large at $10.
5.) The Beef Soup Dumplings at Soup Dumplings STL
One of the pleasures of cooler weather has to be enjoying a meal of blistering hot, steamed soup dumplings. Of course, soup dumplings can (and should) be eaten any time of the year, but there is something especially satisfying about biting into the thin skins and slurping out the lava hot soup when it’s chilly outside. At Soup Dumpling STL on Olive Boulevard, the beef dumplings are an exceptionally delicious choice. A generous amount of black pepper mixed with the minced beef ball makes your mouth water. The soup inside is rich and soothing but beware, it is also scorchingly hot. And, if you need it, a large step-by-step diagram hanging on the wall illustrates the best method to enjoy your soup dumplings. Enjoy six beef soup dumplings for $9.
