It is also the name of a meal of tiny saclike dumplings.

There was, firstly, every manner of dim sum - tiny delicate rice-dough dumplings, filled with a variety of stuffings.

Spatzle, the tiny dumplings of Eastern Europe, are turning up where couscous once did, alongside duck, venison and fish.

Manti, tiny meat-filled dumplings, are part of the culinary tradition that had its origins in China.

Tooshpeera are tiny dumplings splashed with tomato and yogurt sauces.

"But who do you think is behind " Uhura broke off when their dinners arrived, medallions of beef steaming on beds of tiny golden dumplings.

The tiny, saclike dumplings looked like pale, wet, unformed creatures in their uncooked state.

"To watch those women make manti, these tiny dumplings, is truly a humbling experience," she said.

"THOSE pretty, tiny dumplings are to die for!"

Siberian pelmeni ($7.25), two dozen tiny dumplings stuffed with minced beef and onions, accompanied by a sharp vinegar sauce, are delicate and filling.