- When you think about New York City and you think about dumplings,
you think about Chinatown. But which one?
There's one in downtown Manhattan,
there’s one out in Brooklyn, in Sunset Park,
and then 10 miles east of Times Square, there's “Chinese Manhattan”.
It's way out in Flushing, Queens. That’s where we’re headed today.
It's one of the fastest-growing Asian-American communities in the country,
and Mandarin-speaking Chinese immigrants dominate out here on the outskirts of the city.
So it's become a must-hit food mecca for anyone
looking for a less touristy taste of Chinese-American staples.
Which brings us, more or less, back to dumplings:
these plump, round, savory, little orbs of joy.
Any seasoned Flushing eater has their own favorites,
and these chili-oil wontons from White Bear are definitely one of ours.
But when you talk about Flushing and you talk about dumplings,
you have to talk to the Queen of Dumplings herself:
Helen You. Let's go meet her.
- Started a dumping business about 10 years ago.
I decided to come to America, and I noticed there are not so many good dumpling places.
So I decided to set up a small one, in Golden Mall, down the basement
Me, with the other two employees together,
and we started with three types of dumplings.
This is where I started, 10 and a half years ago.
- This is where it all began!
- Yes, this is like Small Tianjin. As if you were in China.
It's hidden in the basement. When you pass by, when you’re walking on the main street,
it's easy to miss it. So for a lot of people,
Tianjin Dumpling House is like their home kitchen.
That's why a lot of people call this place a “hidden treasure.”
- So these are water-boiled dumplings, correct?
- These are water-boiled dumplings.
- Which ones should I start with?
- You start with the pork ones.
- OK, with the pork. Alright, and dunk it in some of the — Should I have another one here?
- One more, yes.
- OK. We got some chili oil, we got some rice vinegar,
and uh, we got some of Helen's special garlic sauce.
Now I'm just gonna pop one of these in my mouth.
Look at that, that is perfect. Just pillowy…
YES. Oh my gosh.
- Would you like to try the lamb with green squash?
- You're sort of known for this dumpling, like people, this is a big-deal dumpling.
That's amazing, Helen. It's so rich!
The squash is like... it's almost sort of buttery at the end.
- Yes.
- Oh my gosh, so delicious. I gotta, I have to have another one.
So this is at the end of the meal, after the dumplings are complete,
you drink some of the dumpling water that it's been boiled in.
- Yes.
- There you go.
-There were more and more customers, gathered at Tianjin Dumpling House,
every day after work. I couldn't take more people at that location.
And now I have Dumpling Galaxy,
I can make more than 100 types of dumplings for people here.
Every piece of dumpling is handmade.
From making dough, cutting dough into small sections, to roll out each wrappers...
it's all handmade. All handwork.
A lot of families, they brought their children
come here during the weekend, to learn, to go to art school,
to learn painting, drawing, singing, or Chinese language.
Afterwards, the whole family come to the restaurant,
to enjoy the Chinese food, as a part of the learning.
OK, each pork soup dumpling served on the plate,
on the spoon, and you bite on the edge—
- On the edge here?
- Yeah, then suck down the juice. Blow a little bit,
it's going to be very hot soup inside, so don't burn your tongue.
- Oh my gosh. It's so good. It's rich, it's almost creamy.
Obviously there's no dairy in this at all, but it's so thick and rich.
- And the dough, it's special-made dough, so thin you can see through.
- You can only do that by hand, right?
- Much better, with handmade style.
This is the spicy wonton, it's Szechuan style.
- Szechuan style can be pretty spicy, right?
- It's acceptable.
- It's acceptable spice? OK, good.
And these are water-boiled wontons? Yeah, water-boiled wontons,
then this broth is is like a… you said it’s chili oil?
- Yes, chili oil...
- Wow!
- ...And on top, is a little cilantro.
- This looks amazing. I gotta get some of this cilantro.
- Naturally, it will go with a little broth. It will not be so bad.
- A little broth, and the wonton.
Look at that wonton, beautiful. Folded by hand, in the back just now.
Oh my gosh.
- It's amazing taste.
This is pan-fried dumpling.
- Yeah, this is just amazing. It's like a wafer-thin...
and this just happens naturally in the pan when you're frying the dumplings up?
- Yes. This one is pork and chives.
I only use cast-iron frying pan, to do all the pan-fried dumplings.
With this starch mixed with water, I create this kind of crust,
so it comes out with holding all the dumplings together as a whole pancake.
People from Flushing, they like my dumplings.
It's something they are familiar with.
The taste is so similar to the dumplings they had at home.
So dumplings are a part of life, it's a part of the culture,
when we have a family gathering, it's a family activity.
And through making dumplings, and eating dumplings,
it's a way to spread Chinese cultures.