Dumpling is dough wrapper filled with different ingredients such as meat, vegetables, or sweet fillings. It's said that dumplings originated in China nearly 2000 years ago and were called jiaozi ( jiǎozi 餃子). These little dough pockets filled with meat and vegetables were a staple food for the average person, and were especially enjoyed on New Year's Eve to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year. Dumplings spread from China to other parts of Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Today, dumplings come in many forms and flavors, from sweet to spicy, with different fillings and wrappers. It is estimated that during the Chinese New Year holiday around 1 billion jiaozis are eaten. In japan around 1 million gyozas and in Korea around 1 million mandus are consumed every year.
Chinese dumplings / Jiaozi Chinese dumplings, or jiaozi, come in a variety of shapes and fillings. They can be filled with different type of meats, like pork, beef, chicken or shrimp or can be filled with vegetables and tofu as well. You can make fresh homemade dumpling yourself, or buy frozen dumplings from the store. Some of the most popular chinese dumplings include: - Wonton (馄饨 also called wantan or wuntun) is a small dumpling usually containing meat, pork, shrimp or vegetables. It can be steamed, fried and often served in soups as well - Baozi (包子) is a steamed bun stuffed with a variety of fillings, that usually include different type of meats, seafood or vegetables - Har Gow: is a transparent steamed dumpling (gow) with a filling of prawns (har) - Shumai (siu mai, 燒賣) are steamed dumplings that are typically filled with pork or shrimp - Soup dumplings or xiaolongbao: are steamed buns filled with a savory broth and meat filling. - Siu mai: are open-topped dumplings filled with pork and seasonings. Korean Dumplings / Mandu Just like chinese dumplings, Korean dumpling come in different shapes and fillings. Based on the main ingredietns, it can be Gogi mandu (고기만두) : where meat is the main ingredient in the filling, Yachae mandu (야채만두): where vegetables are the main ingredient in the filling or Saewu mandu (새우만두) filled with shrimp, kimchi mandu (김치만두) filled with kimchi and the list goes on. Apart from the main ingredient, they can also be differentiated by the way they are cooked. Korean steameed dumplings are called arejjin mandu (찐만두), deep-fried mandus are called tuigin mandu (튀긴만두, pan-fried mandus are called gun mandu (군만두) and boiled mandus are called mul mandu (물만두). Japanese Dumplings / Gyoza Japanese dumplings, called gyoza, are a popular Japanese dish. They are small, crescent-shaped dumplings typically filled with ground pork, nira chives, green onion, cabbage, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil, but nowadays you can find many different variations of fillings. They can be pan-fried, boiled or deep-fried. They're often paired with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, and chili paste. As dumplings spread to other continents, many countries have created their own version of dumplings. For example, Khinkali is a very popular Georgian dumpling, Kreplach is a delicious type of Jewish dumpling, Momos are popular in Tibet, Nepal, Buthan and in northern parts of India, in Germany they have Maultaschen, in Poland and Ukrain they have Uszka, Russian dumplings are called Pelmeni, and let's not forget the Italian dumplings: Tortellini and Ravioli. If you have a special diet, dumplings are a perfect choice. You can also find vegan dumplings, vegetarian dumplings or gluten-free dumplings.
Dumplings are the perfect homemade comfort food. In Asia, families have been passing down dumpling recipes from generation to generation making it a beloved staple food. Grandparents and parents showing how to make dumplings to their kids and grandkids is a fond memory everyone cherishes. Gather your loved ones and get ready to have a blast creating your own unique dumplings. Experiment with flavors and ingredients to make them exactly how you like. Filling the dough and shaping the dumpling is so much fun for both kids and adults, it's the perfect activity to spend time with your family or friends. And don't worry if your dumplings. So, let's get creative and make some mouth-watering dumplings that will make you feel like a pro in the kitchen. You can try these simple dumpling recipes to start with: Home-made dumpling recipe Wan tan recipe
Dumpling sauce is an essential part of eating dumplings. Eating dumplings without sauce is like eating fries without ketchup. There are dozens of different dumpling sauce variations out there, so everyone can surely find the one best fitting to their taste. The most popular ingredients include soy sauce, vinegar, chili paste, sesame oil, and scallions, but there are variations with garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, peanut butter, tamarind paste and more to add some extra flavor. And if you can't decide which one to go with, just have multiple dipping sauce! Luckily, making your own dumpling sauce is quite easy, but if you don't want to bother you can also find pre-made dumpling sauce in our store.