Ah! The warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart and the burst of flavor in your mouth when you eat a dumpling cannot be explained in words. Joy runs in your veins when you have a hearty meal with dumplings.
Perhaps the most well-acclaimed of dumpling facts is that everyone has had these little morsels of yummy in one form or another.
The most basic dumplings are a simple combination of water, flour, and salt. This dough is filled with anything from spices, meat, and vegetables. The filling depends on the flavors of the regional cuisine in which the dumplings are prepared.
4 Dumpling Facts We Bet You Didn't Know
You’ve probably had the pleasure of eating these at a dumpling restaurant a few times already, but there are some dumpling facts you haven’t heard of. Let’s share some of these with you.
1. Dumplings Weren’t Made To Cut
Dumplings are the original on-the-go food. They were always meant to be eaten in one bite. Cutting them open can cause the yummy fillings to fall out and ruin the feel of a good dumpling.
Chopsticks are your best friend when eating dumplings because they don’t puncture the dough.
Soup dumplings are a little different; they require you to slurp up the soup in any way you like. At United Dumplings, we make a killer Jumbo Soup XLB with seasoned pork and broth filling!
2. Dumplings Are Part of Most Regional Cuisines
Although dumplings are strongly associated with Chinse culture because they are ingrained in the history of the culture, they are found in almost every region and culture across the world. Dumplings are essentially just pockets of dough filled with different flavors.
Empanadas, Samosas, tamales are all dumplings. You would be surprised to know that even ravioli and tortellini are thought to be dumplings. Here are some exciting dumpling variations served across the world:
- Japanese Gyoza - Filled with minced meat, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, scallions, and cabbage.
- Vietnamese Banh Bot Loc - These are transparent balls of tapioca flour filled with steamy pork belly and chicken.
- Eastern Mediterranean Kofte or Kubbeh - Made with bulgur, ground meat, minced onion, and spices.
- Brazilian Coxinhas - These dumplings are deep-fried with shredded chicken filling.
- Turkish Manti - These are served with a fresh yogurt sauce and have ground beef in the filling.
- Indian Mondak - This is a sweeter version with coconut and sugar filling in a teardrop-shaped dumpling. The dough used here is made of rice flour and sweet khoya!
All the above variations are served in dumpling restaurants worldwide; needless to say, each one is yummylicious.
3. Dumplings Are Made 3 Ways
Ok; we agree that this is pretty commonly known, but it's a dumpling fact that deserves its feature. Dumplings are primarily cooked in three different ways.
The flour and water dough can be steamed, fried, or boiled. Each variation is equally yummy and can hold various fillings ranging from meat, chicken, mushroom, and spices to vegetables.
4. Chinese Dumplings Have Different Variations
Dumplings are perhaps the most versatile food. Even Chinese dumplings have different variations. The round dumplings are called bao, and the crescent-shaped ones are called gao.
Here are five common types of Chinese dumplings served in Chinese Restaurants in San Francisco:
- Bao Zi - These have a thick dough covering and look more like a bun.
- Xiao Long Bao - These are pursed-shaped dumplings known as soup dumplings because of the pork trimmings that melt and form gelatin when steamed.
- Siu Mai - This one is shaped like a beautiful basket with an open top.
- Hun Dun - These are your regular wontons which are square and boiled. These are served in noodle soup.
- Har Gao - These are crescent-shaped and made with tapioca flour, pork, and shrimp fat.
We understand that all this dumpling facts talk must have made you crave some. If you’re in San Francisco, why don’t you come to United Dumplings and check out our diverse and yummy menu full of dumpling options ranging from traditional flavors to ones specially made for kids?
We also offer online delivery options so you can enjoy these piping-hot pockets of wholesome goodness at home!
