Dumplings!

They go by many names. Xiao mai. Samosa. Momo. Mani. Pelmeni. Vareniki. Khinkali. That’s right, dumplings! That delicious meat-wrapped-in-dough dish! The dumpling is one of the most transhistorical foods on the planet. Almost every culture has its own taste, shape and tradition. It’s a source of pride and pudge. The dumpling is a favorite of the anthropologist, Helen Faller. She’s embarked on a personal and cultural journey with the dumpling in Central Asia. How are they made? And why are they so damn difficult? Who does the labor? What kinds of community do dumplings create? The Eurasian Knot spoke to Faller about her love of the dumpling and its place in Kazakhstan family and society. And, of course, we talk about how yummy they are. Start drooling, dear listeners.

Guest:

Helen Faller is an anthropologist with expertise in Russia and Central Asia. She’s the author of Nation, Language, Islam: Tatarstan’s Sovereignty Movement published by Central European University Press. She’s now working on a book about the social and cultural life of the dumpling in Central Asia.

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