5 dumplings from around the world you need to try
What's the story
Dumplings are a favorite dish across many cultures, presenting an exquisite medley of flavors and textures. From the savory fillings to the delicate wrappers, dumplings can be both comforting and exotic. With a few simple ingredients and techniques, you can recreate these international favorites right in your kitchen. Let's take a look at some popular types of dumplings from around the world.
Drive 1
Mastering Chinese dumplings
Chinese dumplings, or jiaozi, are famous for their thin wrappers and variety of fillings. From vegetables like cabbage or mushrooms, they can be boiled or pan-fried for the texture. The secret to perfect jiaozi is to roll out the dough evenly to avoid thick edges. A soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil dipping sauce goes really well with these dumplings.
Drive 2
Crafting Japanese gyoza
Japanese gyoza are similar to Chinese dumplings but with thinner skins, and are usually pan-fried till crisp on one side and soft on the other. Usually filled with vegetables like cabbage or carrots, they offer an amazing texture contrast. To get this right, cook them in a hot pan with oil before adding water to steam them through.
Drive 3
Exploring Italian ravioli
Ravioli are Italian dumplings generally stuffed with cheese or vegetables such as spinach or pumpkin. They are generally served with tomato sauce or butter sage sauce for extra flavor. If you're making ravioli at home, make sure that the pasta dough is rolled thinly so that it cooks evenly without making it too chewy.
Drive 4
Delving into Indian modak
Modak is an Indian sweet dumpling usually made during festivals. Filled with coconut and jaggery mixture inside rice flour dough shells, modaks provide a unique sweetness and texture combination. Steaming them makes sure they stay soft but firm enough to not lose their shape when served warm.
Drive 5
Perfecting Polish pierogi
Pierogi are Polish dumplings typically filled with potatoes or cheese mixtures. They are wrapped in unleavened dough pockets, boiled, and lightly fried until golden brown on either side (if desired by preference alone!). Serve with sour cream topping, which makes the overall taste experience so much more than you initially thought possible! Try yourself firsthand today!