Dumplings are one of the best foods you can eat. They're light, healthy & come in different varieties so knowing where to start can be overwhelming for people new to eating Dim Sum.
In this post, we'll try to shed some light on some of the most common & popular varieties to help you choose well while you want to order.
What are some of the Best Types of Asian Dumplings?
Xiao Long Bao
What are Xiao Long Bao (Soup DumplingS)?
Xiao Long Bao or soup dumplings are one of my all time favourite foods.
They're made by mixing the meat mixture (usually pork) with some pork soup jelly and assembling the dumplings while they're still cold. When the dumplings are steamed and hot, this jelly melts back into a soup and gives them a liquid centre.
They're typically eaten with chopsticks and a soup spoon. You'll be given some dark, black vinegar with some pickled ginger to go with it.
Where can I Try Them?
You can get some excellent Xiao Long Bao from Din Tai Fung in Central London (although you should be prepared to pay a bit more than in your average dim sum restaurant), or they're readily available in any good dim sum restaurant.
Momos
What are momos?
Momos are a Tibetan & Nepali dumpling that has grown in popularity across India.
They're an interesting fusion of Indochinese influences which make them interesting to try for anyone looking to try something different.
Where can I Try Them?
In London, you can get Momos from House of Momo.
In Edinburgh you could try Momo Nepalese kitchen.
Gyoza or Jiaozi
What are gyoza?
Gyoza or Japanese potstickers are one of the best dumplings.
They're typically fried and steamed in the same pan, giving a crispy base and a soft dumplings.
The filling can vary, with pork & prawn, pork & chive being some of the more popular flavours.
Where can I get them?
You can get high quality frozen gyozas in any good Oriental supermarket in any major Chinatown.
They'll also be able to sell you some gyoza wrappers if you only want to make the filling and save some time.
Wonton
Wontons are Cantonese dumplings made from a Wheat Flour dough.
The name roughly translates as "swallowing a cloud" and they're most commonly served in a warm bowl of wonton soup with some warm broth.
Siu Mai
Siu Mai are a unique looking dumpling style, with an open top exposing the pork mixture in the bright yellow wrapper.
The filling is normally fatty cuts of pork, meaning they are moist & flavourful.
Har GaU
Har gau or crystal shrimp dumplings are made with Tapioca & wheat starch dough, giving a characteristic translucent wrapper surrounding the prawn & pork mixture inside.
They're a standard item in any dim sum restaurant, and are often considered a test of a dim sum chef's skill.
Conclusion
Dim Sum and dumplings are fantastic food and one you can find good examples of in almost any city.
Hopefully this guide will give you the confidence to know some of the different types of dumplings & order when you feel overwhelmed by a menu and don't know where to start or what to expect from the different types of dumpling.
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