THIS WEEK: DUMPLINGS

Many Angelenos hear “dumplings” and immediately think of the twin dumpling houses of Arcadia’s Din Tai Fung. But the versatile dough wrappers span countless cuisines and cultures, including the American South.

FLOSSIE’S

The late Flossie Miller opened this South Bay soul food restaurant with daughter Sandra Foster in 1991. On Thursdays, Foster still makes her mother’s Mississippi-style dumplings. The irregular strips of green onion-studded dough swell up in a boiling yellow brew of chicken broth, egg and black pepper. Customers order the dumplings as a side, or with the day’s offerings: baked chicken, fried chicken, fried catfish fillet or smothered steak. 3566 Redondo Beach Blvd., Torrance, (310) 352-4037

LUSCIOUS DUMPLINGS INC.

Alan Lam and wife Grace prepare a short list of boiled Chinese dumplings, but their specialty is undoubtedly pan-fried pork dumplings. The thin skins caramelize in the pan, locking in luscious ovals of ground pork. Each table holds pitchers of soy sauce and vinegar, plus a container of chile oil, not that the dumplings need any flavor boost. 704 W. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, (626) 282-8695

CHOPAN KEBAB HOUSE

At her family’s Afghan restaurant near Cal State Northridge, Naseema Qayeum steams ethereal leek, chive and coriander dumplings (ashak). She then blankets her ravioli-like creations with tangy yogurt sauce folded with garlic powder, ground beef, dried mint and paprika to complete her colorful dish. 8910 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, (818) 998-8861

QUAN HOP

This stylish Little Saigon spinoff of Quan Hy restaurant features numerous Hue-style dishes from Ton family matriarch Kim Toa Tran, including banh it ram. The pleasantly gooey Vietnamese “pot stickers” are stuffed with diced pork, shrimp, scallions and strips of black tree ear mushroom, then set on crunchy fried rice cakes and topped with more scallions and finely chopped fried onions. 15640 Brookhurst St., Westminster, (714) 689-0555

SALADANG

Wallaporn “Dang” Vattanatham introduced pun klib at her Pasadena Thai restaurant in 1993. The glutinous steamed dumplings contain a peppery crumble of chicken and peanut. Pinches of sugar and salt heighten the flavor, along with a topping of minced fried garlic. 363 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (626) 793-8123

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