Culture through Cooking
The History of Dumplings
Before cooked the dumpling wrapper has to be secured with water so that the meat does not fall out when cooking. In this picture the cook is putting the water around the edge of the dumpling
These dumplings have been steamed, giving the outside a light, bread-like texture. The meat inside is a barbeque pork, making a perfect sweet and savory snack.
These dumplings are the classic dumplings. They have a crispy outside and have juicy meat in the inside. Variations of this dumpling are very common all over Hong Kong and China.
Before cooked the dumpling wrapper has to be secured with water so that the meat does not fall out when cooking. In this picture the cook is putting the water around the edge of the dumpling
Dumplings are said to have originated in eastern China during the Han Dynasty, over 1800 years ago. They were originally made by Zhang Zhongjing to heal frostbitten ears of villagers. The dumplings he fed to the people remain the popular jiaozi dumplings today.
Dumplings can be very different depending on the city in china or the region. For example, many of the dumplings served during dim sum are considered Hong Kong style dumplings. Some of these include, har gow, siu mai, and wu gok. In southern China, the dumplings tend to have a more gelatinous and sticky filling or wrapper. In Shanghai, and other eastern cities, an extremely popular dumpling is is called xiao long bao or 小龙包 meaning little dragon dumpling. These dumplings are filled with pork and broth.
Dumplings have survived the test of time and have been a classic dish for thousand of years. Whether you get the classic jiaozi or the explosive xiao long bao, dumplings are a classic dish that all will enjoy.