Capital of dumplings wraps it up

The simplest food is often the best. Across Asia, the humble dumpling does its best to prove this is true.

From manti in Central Asia and momos in Nepal to mandu in South Korea, it seems every culture on the continent has a time-honored tradition of wrapping bits of meat or vegetables, or both, inside a layer of flour and then steaming, boiling, frying or otherwise heating the edible packet to perfection.

China, with its jiaozi, is certainly no exception. In fact, Beijing may be the culinary peak of dumplings in Asia. Literally hundreds, and possibly even thousands, of jiaozi shops dot the capital's streets. Some are nothing more than temporary stands - a few bamboo steamers over a boiler and few stools around a makeshift table on the sidewalk. There, a few yuan will buy enough dumplings to feed a small army.