dumplings

Everyday

1. Dumplings are small balls of dough cooked in boiling water, soup or stew. tree →
2. Dumplings are also little parcels of thin dough with a filling of meat, vegetables or fruit, steamed, boiled or fried, as in Chinese jiaozi, Polish pierogi or Ukrainian varenyky. tree →
3. (informal) «Dumpling» is a fond pet name for a small, chubby child. tree →

In the lessons

Dumplings show how many cultures have similar foods: British suet dumplings in stew, Chinese dumplings at Lunar New Year (said to look like old gold money and bring luck), Japanese gyoza, Ukrainian varenyky with potato or cherries, Jewish kreplach. In cooking lessons pupils may fold dumplings. Phrases: «stew and dumplings», «steamed dumplings», «apple dumplings».

Examples

• Mum made beef stew with fluffy dumplings. tree →
• We folded dumplings for Chinese New Year. tree →
• Varenyky are Ukrainian dumplings with potato or cherries inside. tree →
• The dumplings floated to the top when they were cooked. tree →
• We had steamed dumplings at the dim sum restaurant. tree →
• Grandma calls the baby her little dumpling. tree →
• Each dumpling had a juicy filling. tree →
• ‘Sir, his highness has graciously ordered a Danish soup and red Hamburg dumplings.’ tree →

Note

Singular «dumpling», plural «dumplings». Countable. The word is common in recipes and menus. In Chinese, «jiaozi» and «baozi» are different: baozi are bigger, fluffy buns.