Dumplings are really an international dish that can be found in different countries of the world in many variations. In China, they are usually called “jiaozi” and are eaten at any time of the year, but with the arrival of cold weather, hot treats in broth or without become especially popular. Interesting facts about Chinese dumplings are in the review of the Store.
Evolution of Chinese dumplings
Legend has it that Chinese dumplings were invented by Zhang Zhongjing (张,, 150-219), a court doctor and official of the Eastern Han Dynasty, a native of the city of Denzhou (邓州) of Henan Province. So, Zhang Zhongjing wrapped lamb, pepper and some herbs in dough, which were usually prescribed for the treatment of colds. Cooked fragrant rolls of dough with meat filling turned out to be surprisingly tasty, and the dish went to the people. In different historical periods, Chinese dumplings were called differently: laowan rice flour pies (牢丸), Beijing bianshi dumplings (扁食), jiaoer dumplings (饺饵) and fenjiao rice flour dumplings (粉角). You can also find more rare names – jiaoer (娇耳), zhujiao (煮角), guzha (箍扎), gucha (馉馇) and “pies of childbearing” (子孙饽饽), which are presented to the newlyweds at the end of the wedding ceremony.
According to one version, jiaozi dumplings (饺子) “evolved” from small huntun dumplings (馄饨), which are also known as wontons; in southern China they are more often called yuntun dumplings (云吞). During the Three Kingdoms period, “crescent wontons” (月牙馄饨) were common, under the Tang Dynasty — “semicircular wontons” (偃月形馄饨), and under the Song – dumplings- jiaozi horns (角子).
As a type of food, not a medicine, wontons are first mentioned in “Guangya”, the encyclopedia of the Wei Kingdom of the Three Kingdoms era (220-280). In the form that we are used to seeing jiaozi dumplings, they were fixed in the menu and on the traditional New Year’s table only during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Fillings and traditions
Today, Chinese dumplings are prepared with a variety of fillings – pork, lamb, beef, chicken and duck meat. Often the meat filling is mixed with vegetables like leeks, corn, carrots or seafood. There are also purely vegetarian dumplings. Boiled in water or steamed, fried in oil or in a frying pan, stewed or baked jiaozi, ordinary with tightly clamped edges, with an artistic pinch, braided like dumplings, in the form of shells, hooves, fish, sickle – there are a lot of ways to cook dumplings in China.
Each region of the country traditionally prepares dumplings in its own way, for example, in Cantonese cuisine, wheat starch dumplings with shrimp (虾饺) produced in Guangdong are widely known. In Xi’an, sour soup with boiled dumplings is preferred (酸汤水饺). Pork and cabbage dumplings are popular in Hengshui County, Hebei Province. Fried dumplings (锅贴煎饺) are loved in Shanghai, steamed crab dumplings (蟹黄蒸饺) – in Yangzhou County, Jiangsu Province, dumplings with meat broth (高汤小)) – in Shandong. In Shenyang, a specialty dish is prepared – dumplings of Liaobian district (老边饺子), and in Sichuan province – boiled dumplings (钟水饺). In addition, Xi’an is known for traditional “dumpling feasts” (饺子宴), where you can taste hundreds of different kinds of jiaozi.
According to folk tradition, during the celebration of the Chinese New Year, dumplings must be present on the table among other traditional dishes, which mean the alternation of the old and the new. It is believed that this is due to the consonant word jiaozi (交子) – an ancient method of measuring time. Also on the holiday, dumplings are eaten for good luck, so that everything will be safe in the coming year.
The filling of dumplings, consonant with important concepts of Chinese culture, also has a special meaning. For example, dumplings with sweet onions to longevity (韭菜馅 — 久), with shiitake mushrooms – for inspiration (香菇馅 — 鼓), with the rape – possession (油菜馅 — 有), with fish to prosperity (鱼肉馅 — 余), with sweet filling – to the completion of something (甜馅 — 添加) and so on.
Bonus
Chinese chefs recommend putting less meat and more vegetables in dumplings, about 1 to 3, in order to maintain the acid-base balance of the dish. Also, in order to increase the nutritional value, products such as shiitake mushrooms, algae, bamboo shoots or dried vegetables should be generously added to the meat filling of dumplings. The most useful, of course, are steamed dumplings. Cooking dumplings is a family affair, but if you don’t want to fool around with modeling dumplings at home, then you can go to specialized dumplings (饺子馆).