Chinese Dumplings: The Taste of Happiness in Every Bite

When it comes to Chinese cuisine, there are countless delicacies. Among them, the most famous one is undoubtedly dumplings. Do you know about Chinese dumplings? It is a kind of pasta that can be filled with your favorite vegetables or meats and has a unique flavor after being cooked. During many festivals in China, dumplings are indispensable delicacies. People believe that eating dumplings can bring good luck and wealth because the shape of dumplings resembles the ancient gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and reunion. Do you want to know more? This article will share this famous Chinese cuisine with you!

Every winter or during important festivals such as the Winter Solstice and New Year's Eve, the scene of a family sitting together to make dumplings饺子(jiǎo zi) is the warmest memory in the hearts of countless Chinese people. Starting from preparing the ingredients, that warmth has already filled the air. The flour is carefully kneaded into a soft and elastic dough. Adults are skilled in their techniques, while children are eager to try on the side. Even if the dumplings they make have strange shapes, it will still bring about waves of laughter.

饺子 (jiǎo zi), noun, dumpling

Examples:

1. We ate dumplings for dinner.
   我们晚餐吃了饺子。
   wǒ men wǎn cān chī le jiǎo zi 。
2. She is good at making dumplings.
   她擅长包饺子。
   tā shàn cháng bāo jiǎo zi 。 

Ingredient Selection

The filling馅料(xiàn liào) is undoubtedly the soul of dumplings. The reason why dumplings can stand out among various delicacies and be deeply loved by people is largely attributed to the rich and diverse fillings.

馅料 (xiàn liào), noun, filling

Examples:

1. The filling of this pie is very delicious.
   这个馅饼的馅料非常美味。
   zhè gè xiàn bǐng de xiàn liào fēi cháng měi wèi 。
2. She prepared different fillings for the dumplings.
   她为饺子准备了不同的馅料。
   tā wèi jiǎo zi zhǔn bèi le bù tóng de xiàn liào 。 

There are extremely rich types of fillings. Among them, there are various choices of meat fillings such as pork, lamb, and beef. Take the beef filling for example. It has a large number of "fans". When it is paired with celery, it is even more perfect. Beef is rich in protein and has a thick and rich meat flavor, while celery has a fresh and unique fragrance. When the two are paired together, the freshness of celery can neutralize the richness of beef, making it not too greasy. At the same time, the richness of beef can enrich the taste of celery. They complement each other. After making them into fillings and wrapping them into dumplings, taking a bite, the richness of beef and the freshness of celery interweave on the tip of the tongue, bringing wonderful taste enjoyment to diners.

Making Dumplings

The process of making dumplings is even more like a warm family gathering. Everyone works together in division of labor. The person rolling the dough is skillful and rolls each small dough into a dough sheet that is thick in the middle and thin at the edges.

The person filling the dumplings carefully places the filling in the center of the dough sheet and then pinches out delicate pleats, either like a crescent moon or like a plump ingot. During this process, everyone chats and laughs, sharing the little things in life, including interesting events of the past year and expectations for the new year. Those emotions that are difficult to express on ordinary days are all wrapped into the dumplings along with the fillings at this moment.

Transformations of Dumplings

Boiling Dumplings

Boiling dumplings is the most common method in our daily life. First, boil the water in the pot. Then, gently put the wrapped dumplings into the water. With the continuous effect of the water temperature, the dumplings will gradually roll in the water. When the dumplings slowly float to the surface of the water, don't rush to fish them out. They still need to be boiled for a while to ensure that the fillings inside the dumplings are also fully cooked. Only in this way can the cooked dumplings have the right texture.

Steaming Dumplings

Steaming dumplings has a unique charm as it can retain the original flavor of dumplings to the greatest extent. During the steaming process, the dumpling wrapper fully absorbs the juice of the filling. After being steamed, the dumpling wrapper becomes more chewy. With each bite, you can taste the most authentic aroma of the ingredients, and that taste is memorable.

Frying Dumplings

Frying dumplings is another distinctive cooking method. When the dumplings are placed in a heated and oiled pan, under the combined effect of high temperature and oil, a layer of golden and crispy crust will gradually form at the bottom of the dumplings. When you take a bite of the fried dumplings, the crispy crust will make a crunchy sound, contrasting with the tender dumpling wrapper and the delicious filling, presenting a unique flavor.

When the steaming hot dumplings are out of the pot, that thick fragrance instantly fills the entire room. The plump and white dumplings are neatly arranged on the plate, just like a family reuniting together. With each bite of the dumplings, the soup inside overflows. That is the taste of home and the warmth that dispels the cold in winter.