饺子Jiăozi(Chinesetransliteration),gyōza(Japanesetransliteration),orpotstickerisaChinesedumpling,widelypopularinChinaandJapanaswellasoutsideofEastAsia,particularlyinNorthAmerica.
Jiaozitypicallyconsistofagroundmeatand/orvegetablefillingwrappedintoathinlyrolledpieceofdough,whichisthensealedbypressingtheedgestogetherorbycrimping.Jiaozishouldnotbeconfusedwithwonton:jiaozihaveathicker,chewierskinandaflatter,moreoblate,double-saucerlikeshape(similarinshapetoravioli),andareusuallyeatenwithasoy-vinegardippingsauce(and/orhotchilisauce);whilewontonshavethinnerskin,aresphere-shaped,andareusuallyservedinbroth.Thedoughforthejiaoziandwontonwrapperalsoconsistofdifferentingredients.
InKoreancuisine,filleddumplingsarecalledmandu.AlthoughsomevariationsaresimilartoChinesejiaoziorJapanesegyozainfilling,shapeandtexture,KoreanmanduaregenerallymorelikeMongolianbuuzorTurkishmantı.
汤圆Tangyuan
TangyuanisthetraditionalfoodfortheLanternFestivalorYuanxiaoFestival.Thesmalldumplingballsareusuallymadeofglutinousriceflour.
Wecalltheseballsyuanxiaoortangyuan.Obviously,theygetthenamefromthefestivalitself.Madeofstickyriceflourfilledwithsweetstuffingandroundinshape,itsymbolizesfamilyunity,completenessandhappiness.
Thefillingsinsidethedumplingsoryuanxiaoareeithersweetorsalty.Sweetfillingsaremadeofsugar,Walnuts,sesame,osmanthusflowers,rosepetals,sweetenedtangerinepeel,beanpaste,orjujubepaste.Asingleingredientoranycombinationcanbeusedasthefilling.Thesaltyvarietyisfilledwithmincedmeat,vegetablesoramixture.
ThewaytomakeyuanxiaoalsovariedbetweennorthernandsouthernChina.Theusualmethodfollowedinsouthernprovincesistoshapethedoughofriceflourintoballs,makeahole,insertthefilling,thenclosetheholeandsmoothoutthedumplingbyrollingitbetweenyourhands.InNorthChina,sweetornon-meatstuffingistheusualingredient.Thefillingsarepressedintohardenedcores,dippedlightlyinwaterandrolledinaflatbasketcontainingdryglutinousriceflour.Alayeroftheflourstickstothefilling,whichisthenagaindippedinwaterandrolledasecondtimeinthericeflour.Andsoitgoes,likerollingasnowball,untilthedumplingisthedesiredsize.
粽子Zongzi
ZongziisthefestivefoodtraditionallyservedduringDragonBoatFestivalcelebrations.
DuringtheDuanwuFestival,aglutinousricepuddingcalledzongziiseatentosymbolizethericeofferingstoQu.Ingredientssuchasbeans,lotusseeds(莲子),chestnuts(栗子),porkfatandthegoldenyolkofasaltedduckeggareoftenaddedtotheglutinousrice.Thepuddingisthenwrappedwithbambooleaves,boundwithakindofraffiaandboiledinsaltwaterforhours.