A dumpling bible

Tianjin native Helen You has long attracted attention with her myriad dumplings in her adopted hometown of Flushing in Queens, New York. Now she shares recipe secrets in a new book, Mike Peters reports.

Dumplings are so popular - even far beyond China - that they seem nearly incapable of surprise. At least until you enter One Hundred Kinds of Dumpling Garden, as Helen You's New York restaurant is known in Chinese.

Can there be 100 kinds of dumplings? Indeed, as flipping through her new cook book or her Dumpling Galaxy menu quickly reveals. There are the classics You grew up with, then meat-free "green" dumplings, recipes with "faraway flavors" like spicy beef dumplings "that pair well with a cold beer", and dessert dumplings.