This old guy in Xi'an taught me how to make proper dumplings

I was in a tiny restaurant in Xi'an last year, trying to fold dumplings and making a mess. The owner, Mr. Li, came over, showed me how to pinch the edges just right with one hand. He said, 'The filling must be happy, not squeezed.' Mine were definitely squeezed. Has anyone else had a local totally school them on a basic skill like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin_clark1mo ago

Oh man, that reminds me of a guy in New Orleans who saw me struggling to peel crawfish. He took one, twisted it apart in half a second, and said "you're fighting it, let it show you the crack." Changed everything.

leo_kelly1mo ago

Totally get that. Got schooled by a fishmonger in Seattle on how to pick a good salmon. He just tapped the side of one and said "listen, it talks back" (it was about the sound, I guess). Felt like I'd been doing it wrong my whole life. Those little moments of local knowledge are the best part of traveling, honestly.