Dumplings

Across the world of Thoti, there are a multitude of different species that have vastly different dietary requirements. From the carnivorous demons to the fruit-eating cassu and the nectar-eating chrub, it's hard to find a lot of dishes that can be considered a staple for every species and culture.

Dumplings, however, may well be the closest anyone gets. Many, many species and cultures have some variation of a dumpling: an edible wrapping with some sort of filling. Both of these components can vary wildly depending on the availability of various food items and the dietary needs of the people intending to eat them. A strict herbivore like an angel likely isn't going to enjoy a purely meat-based dumpling, and an obligate carnivore like a demon won't get much out of a purely plant-based dumpling.

Wrappings can be made of several different things: eggs, wheat, rice, leaves, ground up insects, or, in the case of chrub, pollen bread. The exact materials used depends on the availability of the components and the dietary needs of the ones intended to consume the dumpling. Demons, for instance, tend to favor eggs, while emine favor insects and motte favor leaves.

Fillings can be even more diverse. For instance, a popular dumpling in Nokhréz consists of an egg-based wrapper, filled with fish meat and fish-based sauces. This dumpling is popular among the demon, dragon, selkie, and human populations especially. The angel populations substitute the fish for various vegetables, while humans typically blend the fish with vegetables and spices. Sîtorhiâ, meanwhile, is famous for its "soup dumplings," originally a type of chrub dish that other species adapted to their own tastes. The original variety involves a type of pollen bread, filled with partly solidified honey. When warmed up and bitten into, the honey drips out. Other species found the notion intriguing, and as such developed their own varieties using different kinds of soup as a substitute for honey. And in the colder northern regions of Delgerde, the herbivorous and omnivorous species enjoy a dumpling resembling the real-world kopytka: a simple, thick and hearty wheat dough with a mashed potato filling. Omnivores often enhance it with eggs, while herbivores might add other herbs instead. It's most commonly pan fried, though other cooking methods work just as well. Regions with a high cassu population also enjoy apple dumplings, where a pastry dough is filled with a mixture of apples, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes dried fruits. It's a generally appealing enough dish that all but the most strictly carnivorous species can (and will) eat them.

In some regions, there is a myth about the origin of a particular variety of dumpling unique to humans. Legend has it that a group of humans wished to create a welcoming feast for all the species of the world (or just their trading partners, depending on the version of the story). To that end, they created a dumpling that was cohesive across all food preferences; some had fish, some had other meats, some had vegetables, some had fruit, some had cheese. Unfortunately, due to the humans' resistance to poisonous substances such as onions and garlic and chilies, they accidentally added so many spices to the dish for "flavor" that the dumplings were rendered inedible to any other species. In some of these places, these dumplings are referred to as "momo."