Records show that these dumplings were made more than four centuries ago. They are still a favorite in Shanghai and Beijing (Peking), where hundreds of specialty stalls make nothing else in order to satisfy the appetites of the locals. The dough, make from wheat flour, is rather heavier than that of the South where rice flour is often used, and the technique of frying first, then steaming in chicken broth (stock) makes them a very substantial snack. They should be eaten with a dip of vinegar and shredded fresh ginger. Sometimes these dumplings are called "pot stickers" because the base of the dumpling is crisped and browned in oil before steaming.
