Dumpling
Dumplings are a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough, often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled with meat, fish, tofu, cheese, vegetables, or a combination. Dumplings may be prepared using a variety of cooking methods and are found in many world cuisines.
One of the earliest mentions of dumplings comes from the Chinese scholar who mentions them in a Fu | poem 1,700 years ago. In addition, archaeologically preserved dumplings have been found in Turfan, Xinjiang, China dating back over 1,000 years.
Definition
The precise definition of a dumpling is controversial, varying across individuals and cultures. The term emerged in English by the 17th century, where it referred to a small lump of dough cooked by simmering or steaming. The definition has since grown to include filled dumplings, where the dough encloses a sweet or savory filling. Dumplings can be cooked in a variety of ways, including boiling, simmering, and steaming, and occasionally baking or frying; however, some definitions rule out baking and frying in order to exclude items like fritters and other pastries that are generally not regarded as dumplings by most individuals.African
and kenkey are West African preparations defined as dumplings in that they are steamed starchy balls of dough. Both are formed from fermented cornmeal. Banku is boiled and requires continuous kneading, while kenkey is partly boiled then finished by steaming in corn or banana leaves.Tihlo, prepared from roasted barley flour, originated in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia and is now very popular in Amhara as well and spreading further south.
,, and dombolo are dumplings found in South Africa. Souskluitjies are a steamed sweet dumpling, sometimes made with plain flour and sometimes with the addition of dried fruits or other flavors. They are often served with a syrup flavored with cinnamon or a custard sauce. Dombolo, also called ujeqe or steam bread, is made from steamed dough and is often consumed with different kinds of side dishes such as chicken stew, beef stew, oxtail stew, lamb stew, or tripe.
Kaimati and matobosha are dumplings found in Kenya which are mostly consumed as part of breakfast. They are also commonly served at parties and in fast-food kiosks.
Caribbean and Latin America
, whose stuffing, manufacture and types are numerous and varied, differ from traditional dumplings in that they are deep fried, steamed, or baked, and excess dough is not cut off.Bajan
In Barbados, dumplings differ from those in other Caribbean islands in that they are slightly sweetened. The dumplings may either be of the flour or cornmeal variety. The dough is flavoured with spices, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dumplings are often boiled in Bajan soup. When found in stew-like dishes, the dumplings are steamed along with ground provision, salted meat, plantain and other ingredients, and then served with gravy.Brazilian
In Brazil, there are a variety of dumplings. Pastéis are made of a thin dough that can be stuffed with a variety of fillings, such as condimented ground beef, chicken, shrimp, mixed vegetables, cheese, or even sweets, and they are typically fried or baked. is made of muffin-shaped dough stuffed primarily with chicken, cheese or seafood. Coxinhas are prepared from a thick dough stuffed with chicken. Bolinhas, which literally translates to 'little balls', can have meat or cheese inside.All of these dumplings can vary from their original forms with optional additions like olives, onions, or spices. They are commonly served at parties. In some parts of Brazil like Rio, dumplings can be found in fast-food kiosks, in the city, or in parks.
Caribbean
Dumplings are made from a simple dough consisting of all-purpose flour, water, and salt. The shaped dumplings are either fried in a pan until golden brown or boiled in a soup. The fried version is usually served as an accompaniment to breakfast codfish.Chilean
In Chile, pantrucas are a type of flat, elongated irregular dumpling flavoured with fresh parsley and served in soup. In Chiloé, a Chilean southern archipelago where potatoes are native, several traditional dumplings are potato-based, including chapalele, milcao, chuchoca, chuhuañe, and vaeme. Their dough can also include wheat flour or lard in varying proportions. They can be flat and round, filled with greaves and fried ; flat and boiled ; or shaped into a roll and roasted on a stick. They may be served with honey as a dessert.Papas rellenas are made of a potato- and flour-based dough surrounding a seasoned meat filling.
Dominican Republic
domplines arrived with cocolos. They came from the British Caribbean to work in the sugar industry and mainly settled in and around San Pedro de Macorís. They are made with flour and water, rolled into spinners and boiled into soups or salted water and eaten with stews or simply with butter.Haitian
In Haiti, doumbrey are elongated flour dumplings. They are made with flour and water, rolled, and boiled in water before being added to soups and stews.Jamaican
Dumplings come in three forms in Jamaica: fried, boiled, and roasted. All are made with flour, and those made with white flour dumplings are often mixed with a bit of cornmeal. These foods are often served with a variety of dishes like ackee and saltfish, kidneys, liver, salt mackerel, etc., and often taste better when refried. A refried dumpling is an already-boiled dumpling left over from previous cooking that is then fried to give it a slightly crispy outer layer and a tender middle. A purely fried white flour dumpling is golden brown and looks similar to a buñuelo; these can often substitute for boiled dumplings, but they are mostly consumed as part of breakfast. Fried dumplings can be made with or without sugar. One popular variation is the Jamaican festival, a cylindrical fried dumpling made with flour, sugar, cornmeal, and baking powder. These slightly sweet dumplings are served with all types of traditional Jamaican home food, particularly as a complement to the sweet-and-sour escovitch fish, as well as street food.Peruvian
Papas rellenas, or stuffed potatoes, consist of a handful of mashed potatoes flattened in the palm of the hand and stuffed with a savory combination of ingredients. The stuffing usually consists of sautéed meat, onions, and garlic. They are all seasoned with cumin, aji sauce, raisins, peanuts, olives, and sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs. After stuffing, a ball is formed, rolled in flour, and deep-fried in hot oil. The stuffed potatoes are usually accompanied by a sauce consisting of sliced onions, lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and slices of fresh peppers. The same dish may also be made with seafood. In some countries, yuca purée is used as the starch component.Puerto Rican
In Puerto Rico, dumplings are made of grated tubers such as yuca, sweet potato and malanga or cornmeal, breadfruit, squash, unripe bananas, or plantains mixed with flour, water, milk or coconut milk, garlic, salt, annatto and parsley. These dumplings are a traditional part of Puerto Rican-style pigeon pea soup called asopao. The dough is kneaded into a bowl or on a table until smooth and pliable, it is then covered and placed aside up to an hour or over night. The dumplings are then formed into small balls and dropped into boiling water or then can be fried before placing them into the soup.Alcapurria is a popular fried street dumpling that resembles kibbeh. The dough is made from yautía, green banana, and lard and stuffed with meat.
The pastel, a dumpling made from a masa of grated root vegetables, squash, plantains, and unripe bananas, is greatly beloved, especially around Christmas. The Puerto Rican variety has a tender, slightly wet consistency. The masa dough is mixed with milk and annatto mixed in oil or lard, then stuffed with stewed pork, chick peas, olives, capers or even raisins. The dumplings are then wrapped in a fragrant banana leaf, tied, and then boiled or steamed. The origin of pasteles leads back to Natives on the island of Borikén. Pasteles are popular in the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, Trinidad and lately seen in Cuban cuisine.
Salvadoran
, a thick griddle cake or flatbread from El Salvador and Honduras, are made with cornmeal or rice flour, similar to the Venezuelan and Colombian arepa. They are usually stuffed with one or more ingredients, which may include cheese, chicharrón, squash, or refried beans. They are typically accompanied by curtido and tomato salsa, and are traditionally eaten by hand.Venezuela
In the city of El Callao, domplines are fried and made from wheat, and usually filled with curry chicken and cheese. There are usually present in the carnivals of Calypso de El Callao.Central Asian
is a steamed dumpling in Central Asian and Chinese Islamic cuisine. It contains a mixture of ground lamb spiced with black pepper, enclosed in a dough wrapper. Manti are cooked in a multi-level steamer and served topped with butter, yogurt, sour cream, or onion sauce. These dumplings are popular throughout Central Asia, including in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the Xinjiang region in China and the Caucasus.Chuchvara is a very small boiled dumpling typical of Uzbek and Tajik cuisine. Made of unleavened dough squares filled with meat, it is similar to the Russian pelmeni and the Chinese wonton, but in observance of the Islamic dietary rules, the meat filling is without pork. Chuchvara can be served in a clear soup or on their own, with vinegar or sauce based on finely chopped greens, tomatoes and hot peppers. Another popular way of serving chuchvara is topped with suzma or with smetana, Russian-style.