"Tried the steamed buns with Chinese sausage, " wrote novice cook Chris Fay, under a photo of deflated dough.

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Chang's edgy, in-your-face style not to mention a deft hand with steamed pork buns has spawned a global empire of media and restaurants, including New York's Momofuku Ko and Ma Peche some of the hottest, hard-to-get tables in the city.

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Hearty northern Chinese prefer noodles, breads, buns and steamed dumplings, called jiaozi and baozi.

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