Dumplings = Baozi

Dumplings are a favorite quick meal or snack in China. There are two main types here: jaozi and baozi. One is boiled, and the other steamed. The boiled ones we know in the U.S. as potstickers, especially if they are fried after boiling. Both seem to have similar fillings of chopped pork and seasonings. The steamed dumplings are not unlike the dumplings that my mother used to cook on top of a beef stew, at least on the outside. Beijing is wheat rather than rice country and there are plenty of bread products on the store shelves and in the dining hall. This is the first Pepsi I've seen in a while. The pitcher contains dark vinegar, which is used as a dipping sauce rather than soy. (I will say that the plain vinegar is not as good as the secret sauce served with potstickers at Taste of China on Rte. 59 & 95th St. in Naperville.) The dumplings here sit on top of a bamboo steamer. One order is enough for two people.