Varieties of dumplings from around the world (left to right, top to bottom): Chinese wonton; Uzbek manti; European pierogi; Georgian khinkali; South Indian kozhukkatta; West African kenkey
Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough (made from a variety of starchy sources), often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled with meat, fish, tofu, cheese, vegetables, or a combination. Dumplings may be prepared using a variety of cooking methods and are found in many world cuisines.[1][2][3]
Definition
The precise definition of a dumpling is controversial, varying across individuals and cultures.[1][2] The term emerged in English by the 17th century, where it referred to a small lump of dough cooked by simmering or steaming.[4][2] The definition has since grown to include filled dumplings, where the dough encloses a sweet or savory filling.[5][4][2][6] Dumplings can be cooked in a variety of ways, including boiling, simmering, and steaming, and occasionally baking or frying; however, some definitions rule out baking and frying in order to exclude items like fritters and other pastries that are generally not regarded as dumplings by most individuals.[1]
African
Banku and kenkey are West African preparations defined as dumplings in that they are steamed starchy balls of dough. Both are formed from fermented cornmeal. Banku is boiled and requires continuous kneading, while kenkey is partly boiled then finished by steaming in corn or banana leaves.[7]
Souskluitjies [d], melkkos [af], and dombolo are dumplings found in South Africa. Souskluitjies are a steamed sweet dumpling, sometimes made with plain flour and sometimes with the addition of dried fruits or other flavors. They are often served with a syrup flavored with cinnamon or a custard sauce.[9][10] Melkkos are formed by putting milk, one teaspoon at a time, into a dry flour mixture. The flour clings to the milk and forms dumplings, which are then boiled in a mixture of milk and butter. They are served hot and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.[11]Dombolo, also called ujeqe or steam bread, is made from steamed dough and is often consumed with different kinds of side dishes such as chicken stew, beef stew, oxtail stew, lamb stew, or tripe.
Caribbean and Latin America
Empanadas
, whose stuffing, manufacture and types are numerous and varied, differ from traditional dumplings in that they are deep fried, steamed, or baked, and excess dough is not cut off.
Bajan
In Barbados, dumplings differ from those in other Caribbean islands in that they are slightly sweetened. The dumplings may either be of the flour or cornmeal variety. The dough is flavoured with spices, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dumplings are often boiled in Bajan soup. When found in stew-like dishes, the dumplings are steamed along with ground provision, salted meat, plantain and other ingredients, and then served with gravy.
Brazilian
In Brazil, there are a variety of dumplings. Pastéis are made of a thin dough that can be stuffed with a variety of fillings, such as condimented ground beef, chicken, shrimp, mixed vegetables, cheese, or even sweets, and they are typically fried or baked. Empada [pt] is made of muffin-shaped dough stuffed primarily with chicken, cheese or seafood. Coxinhas are prepared from a thick dough stuffed with chicken (akin to a chicken corn dog). Bolinhas, which literally translates to 'little balls', can have meat (bolinhas de carne) or cheese (bolinhas de queijo) inside.
All of these dumplings can vary from their original forms with optional additions like olives, onions, or spices. They are commonly served at parties. In some parts of Brazil like Rio, dumplings can be found in fast-food kiosks ('open restaurants'), in the city, or in parks.
Caribbean
Dumplings are made from a simple dough consisting of all-purpose flour, water, and salt. The shaped dumplings are either fried in a pan until golden brown or boiled in a soup. The fried version is usually served as an accompaniment to breakfast codfish.
Chilean
In Chile, pantrucas are a type of flat, elongated irregular dumpling flavoured with fresh parsley and served in soup. In Chiloé, a Chilean southern archipelago where potatoes are native, several traditional dumplings are potato-based, including chapalele, milcao, chuchoca, chuhuañe, and vaeme. Their dough can also include wheat flour or lard in varying proportions. They can be flat and round, filled with greaves and fried (milcao); flat and boiled (chapaleles, milcaos); or shaped into a roll and roasted on a stick (chochoca). They may be served with honey as a dessert.
Papas rellenas are made of a potato- and flour-based dough surrounding a seasoned meat filling.
Haitian
In Haiti, doumbrey are elongated flour dumplings. They are made with flour and water, rolled, and boiled in water before being added to soups and stews.
Jamaican
Dumplings come in three forms in
Jamaican Festival, a cylindrical fried dumpling made with flour, sugar, cornmeal, and baking powder. These slightly sweet dumplings are served with all types of traditional Jamaican home food, particularly as a complement to the sweet-and-sour escovitched fish, as well as street food
.
Peruvian
"Papas Rellenas" or stuffed potatoes consist of a handful of mashed potatoes flattened in the palm of the hand and stuffed with a savoury combination of ingredients. The stuffing usually consists of sautéed meat (e.g. beef, pork, or chicken), onions, and garlic. They are all seasoned with cumin, aji sauce, raisins, peanuts, olives, and sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs. After stuffing, a ball is formed, rolled in flour, and deep-fried in hot oil. The stuffed potatoes are usually accompanied by a sauce consisting of sliced onions, lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and slices of fresh peppers. The same dish may also be made with seafood. In some countries, yuca purée is used as the starch component.
Puerto Rican
In Puerto Rico, dumplings are made of grated tubers such as yuca and malanga with added calabaza, unripe bananas, and plantains mixed with flour. These dumplings are a traditional part of Puerto Rican-style pigeon pea soup. Olive oil and annatto are usually added and help the mix from turning brown. The dumplings are formed into small balls and are first cooked in olive oil before boiling. Once the dumplings are crispy on the outside, they are then boiled with added ingredients.
Alcapurria is a popular fried street dumpling that resembles kibbeh. The dough is made from yautía, green banana, and lard and stuffed with meat.
The
capers or even raisins. The dumplings are then wrapped in a fragrant banana leaf, tied, and then boiled or steamed. The origin of pasteles leads back to Natives on the island of Borikén. Pasteles are popular in the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, Trinidad and lately seen in Cuban
cuisine.
Salvadoran
salsa
, and are traditionally eaten by hand.
Venezuela
In the city of
El Callao, domplines are fried and made from wheat, and usually filled with curry chicken and cheese.[12] There are usually present in the carnivals of Calypso de El Callao
China has a highly diverse range of dishes that could be classified as "dumplings" but there is no unifying word for dumplings in Chinese. What are described as dumplings in English (e.g. jiǎozi, wonton, and many steamed dumplings) are considered distinct from each other.
Jiaozi
The jiǎozi (餃子ⓘ) is a common Chinese dumpling, generally consisting of minced meat and finely-chopped vegetables wrapped into a dough skin. The shape is likened to that of a human ear. The skin can be either thin and elastic or thicker, and it is sometimes said that the skin of a dumpling determines its quality.[13] Popular meat fillings include ground meat (usually pork, but sometimes beef or chicken), shrimp, and even fish. Popular mixtures include pork with Chinese cabbage, pork with garlic chives, pork and shrimp with vegetables, pork with spring onion, and garlic chives with scrambled eggs. Filling mixtures will vary depending on personal tastes, region, and season. According to region and season, ingredients can include oyster.[13] Jiaozi are usually boiled, steamed, or fried, and they continue to be a traditional dish. In Northern China, dumplings are commonly eaten with a dipping sauce made of vinegar and chilli oil or paste, and occasionally with some soy sauce added in.
According to legends, jiaozi were invented in the
Eastern Han Dynasty between 150 and 219 CE by Zhang Zhongjing, who was a popular Chinese medicine practitioner. When Zhang returned to his hometown during a harsh winter, he saw many poor people suffering from frostbite in their ears due to the bad governing of the emperor. Using his knowledge of Chinese herbs and medicine, he mixed Chinese medicinal herbs that heat up bodies with lamb and chili in doughs, folded the doughs into the shape of ears, put them in boiling water, and gave them to the poor people. After eating the wrapped dough with herbs and drinking the soup, people's frostbite heals quickly.[14] In memory of his help to many people, eating Jiaozi became a tradition during the winter.[15][16] Written records show that jiaozi became popular during the Southern and Northern dynasties (420–589 CE) in China, and the earliest unearthed real jiaozi were found in Astana Cemetery dated between 499 CE and 640 CE.[17][18]
In ancient times, jiaozi were uncommon and treated as a luxury food; however, they are now a common food served throughout the year, especially to celebrate important festivals and dates.[19] Particularly, in Northern China, people generally eat jiaozi on the winter solstice in the hope of a warm winter. Extended family members may gather together to make jiaozi, and they are also eaten at farewells to family members or friends. On the night of Chinese New Year's Eve, jiaozi are usually served at the stroke of midnight after a big dinner.[19] This is because the term "jiaozi" sounds similar to an old Chinese saying that means "stepping into a new era", and this is applied to the New Year.[20] Some people will place a coin or candy inside the dumpling in the hope of obtaining a fortune or having a sweet life.[13][21] Chinese people also eat Jiaozi on the 5th day after the Chinese New Year in the lunar calendar. According to Chinese tradition, many things are forbidden during these first five days,[22] so people eat jiaozi on the 5th day to celebrate the end of this period.[23] On the first day of the hottest days of summer, jiaozi mark the beginning of the harvest, where the harvested wheat is made into foods like jiaozi to celebrate the success of future harvesting.[24]
Wonton
The
Northern China
.
Baozi
Baozi are a range of Chinese yeast-leavened filled buns. They can be either savory or sweet, depending on the filling. Famous varieties include cha siu bao, shui jian bao, and many others.[25] According to legend, the filled baozi was invented by Zhuge Liang, who offered them to a Chinese god for good luck in military operations.[26]
Tangbao
Tangbao are Chinese dumplings filled with soup; the most famous of these are the steamed xiaolongbao (小籠包) of Jiangsu cuisine. Xiaolongbao are made of either leavened or unleavened dough, filled with minced pork or meat aspic filling, and steamed to melt the gelatinous filling into back into broth.[27]
Other Chinese dumplings
Chinese dumplings can also be based on glutinous rice instead of wheat. Zongzi (粽子), are triangular or cone-shaped, and they can be filled with red bean paste, Chinese dates, or cured meat, depending on the region. Glutinous rice dumplings are traditionally eaten during the Duanwu Festival.
Chinese cuisine also includes sweet dumplings. Tangyuan (湯圓) are smaller dumplings made with glutinous rice flour and filled with sweet sesame, peanut, or red bean paste. Tangyuan may also be served without a filling. They are eaten on the 15th day of Chinese New Year, or the Lantern Festival. In Southern China, people will also eat tangyuan with an angular shape on the Winter Solstice.[13]
Dango (団子) is a sweet dumpling made from rice flour, similar to mochi. It is eaten year-round, but different varieties are traditionally eaten in particular seasons. Three to four dango are often served on a skewer.
Dumplings in Korean are generally called mandu (만두, 饅頭) and further divided into subtypes such as gyoja (analogous to Chinese jiaozi) and hoppang (analogous to Chinese baozi).[citation needed] It is thought that the route through which hoppang were brought into Korea was through China. The first dumplings in Korea are seen in the Hyowooyeoljeon (효우열전/孝友列傳) in Goryeosa (고려사, 高麗史), and it is said that they were made by a naturalized Khitan during the reign of King Myeongjong of Goryeo. They are typically filled with a mixture of ingredients, including ground pork, kimchi, galbi, bulgogi, vegetables, or cellophane noodles, but there are many variations. Mandu can be steamed, fried, or boiled. The dumplings can also be used to make a soup called mandu-guk (만둣국).
Mongolian
Buuz (Бууз) are Mongolian steamed dumplings, generally made of dough, minced garlic and ground beef or ground mutton. Originally one of the main festival foods during the Mongolian Lunar New Year, they are now widely eaten all year. Khuushuur (хуушууp) are the deep-fried version of buuz. They are commonly eaten during the national festival Naadam. Bansh [mn] are smaller version of buuz and can be steamed, fried, or boiled in milk tea or soup.
European
British and Irish
Savoury dumplings made from balls of dough are part of traditional
self-raising flour to tallow, bound together by cold water to form a dough and seasoned with salt and pepper but can also be made using self-raising flour and butter. Balls of this dough are dropped into a bubbling pot of stew or soup, or into a casserole. They sit, partly submerged in the stew, and expand as they are half-boiled half-steamed for ten minutes or so. The cooked dumplings may be airy on the inside and moist on the outside. The dough may be flavoured with herbs, or it may have cheese
pressed into its centre.
The Norfolk dumpling is not made with fat, but from flour and a raising agent.[28] Cotswold dumplings call for the addition of breadcrumbs and cheese, and the balls of dough may be rolled in breadcrumbs and fried, rather than cooked in a soup or stew.[29] Vegetarian dumplings can be made with vegetable suet, a type of shredded vegetable fat.
When sweetened with dried fruit and spices, dumplings can be boiled in water to make a dessert. In Scotland, this is called a clootie dumpling, after the cloth.[30]
France
Raviole du Dauphiné (in English, 'Dauphiné ravioli') are a type of French dumpling. The regional specialty consists of two layers of pasta made out of tender wheat flour, eggs, and water, surrounding a filling of Comté or Emmental cheese, cottage cheese made of cow's milk, butter and parsley. They are usually associated with the historic region of Dauphiné in South-Central France.