The food was wonderfully homey. Included in the was a simple fish that had been pan-fried with soy sauce, a fishy-flavored chopped pork dish (it was somewhat explained to me that meat can be bought at the market that has been flavored to taste something like fish--I didn't think it tasted like fish, but no matter), and some chopped green beans.

As is my habit, I tended to feast on the dishes nearest my plate. Among these dishes was spicy shredded potatoes.

I also liked this shredded vegetable -- I'm not sure what it was, but it tasted like broccoli stem. It was sauteed with garlic and chilies.

Then of course, there were the dumplings. And indeed they were excellent. The filling, so very finely chopped, was just pork and vegetable -- no mushrooms (Tiger proclaimed loudly that he does not like mushrooms).

I think his mother went heavy on the vegetables, light on the pork, which gave the filling an earthier flavor. The lack of meat juices made the filling denser, and less likely to come apart.

We are also given the water in which the dumplings were boiled to drink as soup, which I absolutely loved. So light and simple.

Tiger's mom insisted on giving me dumplings to take home.

I refried them for lunch today, and they were even better.