From the buzzing food streets of Beijing to the Asian fusion restaurants in San Francisco, dumplings have a long travel history. Whether you like them soupy or dry, pan-fried or deep-fried, boiled or steamed, they have evolved into different forms in many cuisines worldwide. Hence, it is only fitting that dumpling festivals are held around the globe to appreciate the culinary diversity and cultural heritage associated with them — and, of course, for a gluttonous and glorious experience. United Dumplings lists down some of the most popular annual dumpling festivals below.
China
Dating back over 2000 years, the Dragon Boat Festival (or the Duanwu Festival) is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar (which is why it is also known as the Double Fifth Festival). In the Gregorian calendar, this corresponds to sometime in late May or early June.
There are different beliefs about the origins of this festival, but the most popular one is related to the poet Qu Yuan (340 BC – 278 BC). He was the prime minister of the southern Chinese state of Chu during the period of the Warring States. He was eventually exiled due to political persecution. When he heard of his homeland being seized, he tragically drowned himself in the river of Miluo. The local villagers paddled out in boats to save him or at least recover his body, but were unsuccessful. Once they realized it was too late, they splashed around, beat their dreams, and dropped lumps of rice into the river to distract the fish and evil spirits from harming him. Hence, the festival is held on this day to commemorate ‘China’s first poet’. Its traditions include dragon boat racing, beating drums, and eating sticky rice dumplings.
However, some argue that this festival actually came before the death of the patriotic poet. In ancient times, the fifth lunar month was considered extremely unlucky. It was during those early days of summer when illnesses and encounters with poisonous creatures were common occurrences. The fifth day of the ‘month of poison’, in particular, was regarded as an inauspicious day. This belief led to different practices and ceremonies for preventing diseases and keeping evil spirits at bay. As a result, the festival became an occasion for people to gather and unite in the hope of good health and fortune.
A notable part of the dumpling festival is making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). This involves wrapping glutinous rice and fillings in leaves of reed or bamboo, forming a pyramid or cone shape, and tying them with soaked stalks or colorful silky cords. These are either steamed or boiled. The choices of fillings vary, depending on the regions’ varying preferences. For instance, the northern provinces of China prefer sweet fillings like red bean paste or dates. On the other hand, the southern Chinese dumplings tend to have savory fillings, such as meat or eggs.
Malaysia
The Dragon Boat Festival also takes place in Penang, which is the first place outside of China to host it. Each year, the best cooks are selected beforehand to prepare a variety of sweet and savory dumplings. Wrapped in bamboo or lotus leaves, the glutinous rice dumplings usually have fillings of pork, chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms, salted egg yolk, and dried shrimp. They are typically eaten on their own, without any dipping sauce.
Japan
The city of Utsunomiya is renowned for its gyoza, which are pan-fried dumplings filled with ground meat and vegetables. It is believed that Japanese soldiers and settlers brought the recipe to the region from Manchuria, after World War II. These crisp and golden dumplings are usually filled with ground pork, cabbage, garlic, and other seasonings.
As a result, a dumpling festival is held every year in the city center to celebrate the iconic dish. Organized by the Utsunomiya Gyoza Committee since 1999, the Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival takes place sometime in November. Different stalls offer a variety of dumplings, including traditional and fusion flavors. In addition, there are plenty of discount offers and staged events for attendees to enjoy.
Singapore
A similar dumpling festival also takes place in Singapore, where the Peranakan rice dumplings are known as Nyonya chang. These feature a distinct shade of blue from being cooked with butterfly pea flowers. Wrapped in pandan leaves, they are usually filled with stir-fried pork, shiitake mushrooms, and candied winter melon. They are accompanied by chili sauce or soy sauce for dipping.
Thailand
The Dragon Boat Festival in Thailand is celebrated with glutinous rice dumplings that are made with soy sauce-flavored rice and wrapped in bamboo leaves. Apart from traditional fillings, they are also filled with peanuts, ginkgo nuts, and sweet taro balls.
Vietnam
The Vietnamese eat both sweet and savory rice dumplings at the Dragon Boat Festival. Usually cylindrical in shape, the dumplings are filled with pork, shrimp, mung beans, or mushrooms. The sweet ones are typically wrapped in pandan or banana leaves, and served with a fish dipping sauce.
Austria
The St. Johann Dumpling Festival is one of the most popular culinary events in Tyrol. It provides a feast on a 595-meter long table (the world’s longest dumpling table), which winds its way throughout the town. There are about 26,000 dumplings of over 20 variations, prepared by 19 different caterers or proprietors. The flavors range from classic favorites like bacon and cheese to innovative combinations like sweet plum and vanilla. Live music is also arranged.
America
The dumpling festival is also hosted in many cities of the U.S. For instance, the Chicago Cultural Alliance holds the World Dumpling Fest to celebrate diverse cultures with music, dance, and food. It collaborates with small businesses based in or near the city to offer different types of dishes, including momos, potstickers or empanadas.
Similarly, the NYC Dumpling Festival is a lively affair, complete with music entertainment, a mascot, and different establishments from all boroughs showcasing several kinds of dumplings. Frozen dumplings are also available to take home. The highlight is the dumpling eating contest, in which contestants can win a substantial cash prize.
