The Dumpling Lady

Name: The Dumpling Lady
Address: 327 W Tremont Ave, Suite B, Charlotte, NC, 28203, US
Telephone: 980-595-6174
Price range: $

Sichuan$

Bao: Soft, slightly sweet steamed yeast buns. Filled versions (baozi) hold barbecued pork (char siu bao), vegetables, custard or red bean; baked char siu bao has a glossy golden crust instead. Unfilled folded buns (gua bao, "lotus leaf buns") come with braised pork belly or Peking duck to stuff at the table. On this menu as: Pan-Fried Pork Buns.
Mapo tofu: Soft tofu in a glossy red sauce of fermented broad-bean paste (doubanjiang), chili and ground Sichuan peppercorn, traditionally with a little minced beef or pork. The name honors the pockmarked (ma) old woman (po) said to have invented it in Chengdu; a vegetarian version is common. On this menu as: Mapo Tofu.
Cumin lamb: Sliced lamb stir-fried (or skewered and grilled) with whole cumin seed, dried chili and onion, the signature seasoning of China's northwest, especially Xinjiang and Xi'an. Also common in Hunan kitchens, where it gets fresh chilies too. On this menu as: Cumin Beef Noodles.
Tofu (bean curd): Pressed soybean curd, from custard-soft (for mapo tofu and soups) to firm (for stir-fries and braises). Fried tofu puffs soak up sauce; tofu skin (yuba) is the sheet lifted off simmering soy milk, rolled and braised or fried as a "vegetarian duck". On this menu as: Mapo Tofu.

Menu