dumpling wrappers, potstickers, dim sum, and wontons are not synonymous. Dumpling wrappers, almost always round but occasionally square, are thicker than wonton wrappers, which are always square. potstickers are dumpling wrappers filled with a rich filling, folded over and pinched and then cooked in a very special way -- they are put onto a hot pan with a bit of oil, seared to brown and then covered in a bit of liquid to braise under a cover until the liquid is all gone and the dumplings literally "stick" to the pot. dim sum is a collective phrase for a great many "appetizer-like" foods, some of which are "dumplings" but not exactly the kind of dumplings made with dumpling wrappers. wontons refers to the thin square wrappers or to the wrapper with filling. They can be small or large and they can be boiled/steamed or deep-fried. The extra large ones are best truly steamed over gentle heat. For deep-frying, the smaller, the better. Here's my favorite "dumpling filling" recipe to put into wontons or dumpling wrappers (given to me by a little Chinese grandmother about 25 years ago in L.A.; true): DUMPLING FILLING Makes 12 to 24 1 pound ground pork -- shoulder 1/4 pound shrimp -- finely chopped 1 small bok choy -- chopped 1 egg 1 teaspoon cornstarch salt -- to taste 1/2 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon ginger root -- grated 2 stalks green onion -- chopped Chop bok choy coarsely and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain by placing in cheese cloth and squeezing out all water. Chop finely. Combine pork, shrimp, egg, cornstarch, salt, sugar, sesame oil, water, and ginger. Mix well. Add bok choy and chopped green onions. Put small teaspoon-fulls into won ton wrappers or larger tablespoon-fulls into dumpling wrappers. Boil them gently in water or chicken stock until floating. Dumplings can be boiled (steamed) or braised (fried). Or you can freeze them stuffed raw for later use. Joe

I love dumplings. A must when I make chicken or beef stew. I also make a German style bread dumpling and Spaetzle another type of dumpling to serve with Goulash. Regular Dumplings 1-1/2 cups flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons shortening(butter/margarine or crisco 3/4 to 1 cup of milk Mix dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Add enough milk to make a soft wet dough. Drop by tablespoon on to the top of stew and cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Southern Style Dumplings 2 cups flour 3 tablespoons butter 3/4 teaspoon salt Pinch of baking powder Milk Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter. Add enough milk to make a soft dough. Knead for a minute until smooth and let sit for 1/2 hour. Roll out dough to desired thickness. Dough should be on the thin side. Cut into 1/2 inch strips, 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. Drop into boiling stew and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Parsley Bread Dumplings ======================= 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 slices white bread, quartered 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 4 tablespoons butter, melted Combine parsley and bread in processor; whirl until medium Size crumbs. Add 1 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; process just until combined. Add 1/2 cup milk and butter; process using on-off pulses just until blended. 5 Drop mounded tablespoons of dumpling mixture into stew. . Add chicken to a pot and cover with chicken broth or combination of water and broth. Add 1 garlic clove, a few sprigs of thyme and bay leaf. Cook for 15 minutes and add whole peeled onions, celery cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces and simmer until onions are tender. Remove Chicken from pot and separate meat from bones. Add chicken back to pot. If using potatoes add now. Now add what ever dumpling recipe you are using and simmer until dumplings are cooked. If you like your stew thicker, mix some flour and milk or cream in a jar and pour into hot stew.

Deedles, I didn't think they were either, the fluffed up nicely, but were still substantial, and not like lead sinkers! SJG, rather then interlocking the sheets by a slight vertical offset, they were installed in a straight line with loose tiles to fill in the gaps. So instead of a seamless pattern I have a striped one. There are pics posted if you want to see. Autumn4, mine ended up kind of like gravy. I just kept stirring, and eventually decided it wasn't getting any thicker. I did use whole milk though. I figured since I took a pass on the canned soup I'd throw caution to the wind and live a little! I'm curious to hear how yours came out! We just finished the leftovers and it heated up very well. I wish my stomach was a little bigger, my mouth wants more.

There are two kinds of dumplings, fluffy and slick (also called sliders). This recipe from my cousin Pat is the thin, slick type of dumpling. Pat's Dumplings - from our family reunion in 1995 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons shortening 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup water 1.Mix together flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour/salt mixture using a pastry blender, fork or two knives. Stir in water to form a soft dough.(Usually takes a little more water!) 2.On a floured surface, roll out dough very thin with a rolling pin. Cut into 1 inch wide strips (I use a pizza cutter, but a sharp knife works also). Tear 1 inch long pieces of dough from these strips and drop into simmering broth. 3.Cook 10 minutes with the pot lid off, then 10 minutes more with the lid on. Serve with the broth and chicken meat, if using. Teresa