Har gow dumplings. Jonathan Valencia / Pixabay.com / 2014 / CC0 1.0
The 26th of September is World Dumpling Day.
It celebrates those succulent, pillowy-soft, comfort-food snacks that are the favourite of both rich and poor in so many different cuisines around the world.
You get to have dumplings for breakfast, lunch and dinner today!
Examples of dumplings around the world include galuska, gnocchi, gyoza, handkerchief, har gow, kanadle, matzo balls, pierogi, pigeon-egg dumplings, poutines blanches, potstickers, quenelles, samosas, shao mai, slick dumplings, takokayi, uszka, vareniki, wontons, xiao long bao (Chinese soup dumplings), yuanxiao, zwetschgenknödel, etc.
Dumpings can be sweet or savoury, and depending on the fillings, can be little flavour bombs in your mouth.
On World Dumpling Day, some restaurants will offer special deals, or just plain outright free dumplings. Some restaurants even hold dumpling eating contests.
Whatever you day, don’t miss your chance today to have some dumplings, whatever your favourite kind is!
#WorldDumplingDay #DumplingDay
See also: Dumplings
Activities for today
- Take a dumpling class, either virtually or in person;
- Have some friends over for dumplings. Make a whole meal of them: appetizers, main course and dessert. Make a few days ahead and refrigerate, or cheat and buy some frozen ones or order in;
- Check apps for deals and free delivery offers;
- Go out to a Chinese restaurant with friends and order dumplings with wild abandon (well, as much as you can eat anyway — don’t waste food!) to celebrate. Try ones you’ve never had before!
- Capture the fun moments with photos on your phone and post to social media.
Recipes
Nova Scotian-style Soup Dumplings
History
In April 2015, the TMI Food Group paid the webmaster at “National Day Calendar” to proclaim the day as also being “National Dumpling Day” for the United States. [1]Accessed August 2021 at https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-dumpling-day-september-26
Within a few years, by 2017, the Australian food press (e.g. Delicious Magazine) had picked up on it, and rechristened it “International Dumpling Day”.
By 2019, most of the world press including Australia were calling it “World Dumpling Day”.
Fun Dumping Fact
In Victorian times, arsenic (which is a white powder) was used a great deal for domestic murders, and often fed to its victims by being mixed into the dumplings. Thus the saying arose, “Don’t eat the dumplings”. [2]Watson, Katherine. Poisoned Lives: English Poisoners and Their Victims. London: Hambledon and London. 2004. Pp 11-12.
Sources
Cunningham, Dan. World Dumpling Day. Sydney, Australia: Broadsheet. 26 September 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/event/world-dumpling-day-galeries-lotus
Given, Molly. How to get free dumplings delivered to your door for National Dumpling Day. Philadelphia, PA: Metro Philadelphia. 25 September 2018. Accessed August 2021 at
https://www.metro.us/things-to-do/philadelphia/dumplings-delivered-for-free
Hagger, David. World Dumpling Day Degustation at Oriental Teahouse. Melbourne, Australia: The World Loves Melbourne. 26 September 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://theworldlovesmelbourne.com/food-wine/1897-world-dumpling-day-degustation-at-oriental-teahouse.html
Hamrick, Jessica. World Dumpling Fest Returns to Chicago on September 23rd. Chicago, Illinois: Urban Matter. 9 August 2018. Accessed August 2021 at https://urbanmatter.com/chicago/world-dumpling-fest/
Happy World Dumpling Day! Bega, Australia: Power FM, East Coast Radio. 26 September 2018. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.powerfmbegabay.com.au/the-home-run/83823-happy-world-dumpling-day
Irving, Kara. Man Tong Crown Casino celebrates World Dumpling Day. Melbourne, Australia: The Herald Sun. 26 September 2017. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/delicious-100/man-tong-crown-casino-celebrates-world-dumpling-day/news-story/eaa9ae6d04f9461640853176bccd5250
New Shanghai: World Dumpling Day. Sydney, Australia: Westfield Sydney. Accessed May 2020 at https://www.westfield.com.au/sydney/news/51BYVKITCM2qqIsQgSiEIe/new-shanghai-world-dumpling-day
O’Flaherty, Antonia. World Dumpling Day 2019 celebrated with Vegemite dumplings. Brisbane, Australia: The Courier Mail. 26 September 2019. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/food/qld-taste/world-dumpling-day-2019-celebrated-with-vegemite-dumplings/news-story/3232d2b48ed087a0d6d9166765debcb9
Roy, U. World Dumpling Day: From classic, crystal dim sums to traditional har gow, Kolkata has the best. Chennai, India: Indulge Express. 25 September 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.indulgexpress.com/food/2020/sep/25/world-dumpling-dayfrom-classic-crystal-dim-sums-to-traditional-har-gow-kolkata-has-the-best-opti-28379.html
Theeboom, Sarah. Learn to make your own dim sum at home on World Dumpling Day. Melbourne, Australia: Time Out Magazine. 17 September 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/news/take-a-virtual-dumpling-class-with-david-zhou-from-oriental-teahouse-091720
Thomson, Lizzie. Best dumplings in London to try on National Dumpling Day. London, England: Evening Standard. 24 January 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/restaurants/best-dumplings-in-london-a3945106.html