LOS ANGELES — What is a dumpling?
That's the question I posed to dozens of chefs and other experts over the last year on my quest to understand one of the world's most beloved, pervasive foods.
"Technically, a spring roll is a dumpling," chef Shirley Chung says during a recent visit to her Ms. Chi restaurant in Culver City. Seated next to her at a table are food writer Andy Wang and culinary consultant and event producer Caryl Chinn. I sought counsel from these three because they are known for their dumpling expertise — after all, they refer to themselves as the Dumpling Mafia. "The definition is [it] has a wrapper and has a filling. 'Dumpling' is a big umbrella."
