Dumplings (jiao-zi; chinese meat ravioli)
Chinese specialty food. Also known as dumplings. It is a folk staple food and local snack, as well as a New Year food. There is a folk saying: "During the Great Cold and Little Cold, eat dumplings to celebrate the New Year." Dumplings are mostly made with dough stuffing and boiled. Dumplings originated in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Dumplings are usually made with cold water and flour as ingredients, rolled into a round skin with a slightly thicker middle and thinner edges, wrapped with fillings, shaped into crescents or angles, and cooked in boiling water. Dumpling wrappers can also be made with hot noodles, puff pastry noodles or rice noodles; the fillings can be meat or vegetarian, sweet or salty; mature methods can also be steamed, baked, pan-fried, fried, etc. The meat fillings include three delicacies, shrimp, crab roe, sea cucumber, Fish, chicken, pork, beef, mutton, etc., vegetarian fillings are divided into assorted vegetarian fillings and ordinary vegetarian fillings.
Origin
Dumplings originated from ancient coins. As early as the Three Kingdoms period, this food was mentioned in the book "Guangya" written by Wei Zhangyi. According to research, it developed from the "Moon-shaped Wonton" from the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Tang Dynasty and the "Dried Pork Double Slice" from the Southern Song Dynasty. It has a history of 1,400 years. Relevant historical records from the Qing Dynasty say: "On New Year's Day, the rich food is eaten together, like eating flat food, and it is named Jiao Zi, which means "Jiao Zi". "He also said: "Every year on the first day of the Lunar New Year, no matter whether rich or poor, high or low, they all make dumplings made of white flour, which is called boiled dumplings. It is the same throughout the country, and there is no difference. Wealthy families secretly hide small gold and silver coins in their pastries to predict good luck, and if their family members eat well, they will have good luck throughout the year. "This shows that people eat dumplings during the Spring Festival, which means good luck and to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. In the "Qingbai Lei Chao" compiled by Xu Ke, a recent scholar, it is said: "There is stuffing in the dumplings, or it is called vermicelli - and it is steamed and fried. It can be eaten by anyone, and it is called dumplings if they are boiled in water and made into soup. "For thousands of years, dumplings have been loved by people as a New Year food and have been passed down to this day.
Dumplings from various places
In its long development process, the name of dumplings has changed. There are many names, such as "Lao Wan", "Bian Shi", "Dumpling Bait", "Fan Jiao" and so on. In the Tang Dynasty, dumplings were called "Tangzhong Lao Wan"; in the Yuan Dynasty, they were called "Shi Luo Jiao'er"; It is called "Fanjiao"; it was called "Bianshi" in the Qing Dynasty. Nowadays, the names of dumplings in the north and the south are different. People in the north call them "dumplings". In many areas of the south, they call them "wontons". The fillings are different and the names are various, including pork dumplings, mutton dumplings, beef dumplings, three fresh dumplings, red oil dumplings, stock dumplings, floral vegetable dumplings, fish dumplings, crystal dumplings, etc. In addition, because of their different ripening methods, there are also Fried dumplings, steamed dumplings, etc. Therefore, eating dumplings on New Year's Day is a good enjoyment in spirit and taste.
The legend of dumplings
The original name of dumplings is "Jiao". "Ear" was first invented by my country's medical sage Zhang Zhongjing. The story of his "Quhan Jiao Er Decoction" has been passed down among the people to this day.
According to legend, in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, "Medical Sage" Zhang Zhongjing served as the prefect of Changsha, and later He resigned and returned to his hometown. On the day of the winter solstice, he saw the people in Nanyang were suffering from hunger and cold, and their ears were frostbitten. Typhoid fever was prevalent at that time, and many people died of the disease. Zhang Zhongjing summarized the clinical practice of the Han Dynasty for more than 300 years, and set up a hospital there. A large pot was set up in the medical shed, where mutton, chili peppers and medicinal materials for dispelling cold and improving heat were cooked, wrapped in dough into the shape of ears, cooked and given to the poor with soup and food from the winter solstice to New Year's Eve to ward off typhoid fever. The frozen ear was cured. From then on, the villagers and later generations imitated the preparation and called it "dumpling ear" or "dumpling". In some places, it was also called "bianshi" or "hot noodle dumpling".
my country. There is a custom among northerners that they always make dumplings to eat when welcoming relatives and friends during festivals, especially on the first day of the Lunar New Year. After celebrating the New Year, the whole family sits together and chats while making dumplings. They talked about everything, causing laughter and laughter from time to time, which meant that they had endless fun. "Everyone loves to eat dumplings, especially dumplings during the New Year dinner." When people eat this smooth, delicious and delicious water cake, they will feel like eating it again. Knowing some of its origins, who can't help but marvel at the long-standing pasta wonders of our ancient civilization?
There are many famous dumplings in various parts of China, such as shrimp dumplings made with Chengfen in Guangdong and pot sticker dumplings in Shanghai. , Yangzhou’s crab roe steamed dumplings, Shandong’s soup dumplings, Northeast’s Laobian dumplings, Sichuan’s Zhongshui dumplings, etc. are all popular varieties. Xi’an has also created a dumpling feast with dozens of shapes and fillings. There are many historical records and folklore about the origin of dumplings.
Making dumplings
Dumplings are made on New Year’s Eve.
It is one of the most important contents of the Chinese New Year in the vast areas of northern my country. Dumplings on New Year's Eve are an important part of the festival, so there are many rules and customs. These customs are all to match the atmosphere of the New Year.
The importance of dumpling fillings
The first step in making dumplings is to mix the dumpling fillings. Dumpling fillings can be either meat or vegetable, and in some places they are strictly differentiated, but most of them are a combination of meat and vegetable. The dumplings made on New Year's Eve should be enough for the whole family to eat on the night of the New Year's Eve and on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year. The filling of dumplings on New Year's Eve is usually a combination of meat and vegetables. Pork or mutton is used, cut into small dices, marinated with seasonings, then chop the young cabbage leaves into coarse pieces with a knife, squeeze out part of the water, and add human meat. Mixed with fillings and seasonings. In the process of making stuffing, the most important thing is to chop the stuffing, which is the process of finely chopping the Chinese cabbage with a knife. When chopping vegetables, the knife collides with the chopping board, making a powerful "bang bang" sound. Because the force is constantly changing, the sound emits a rhythmic change of strong and weak rhythm, like a particularly beautiful piece of music. Neighbors all around. Everyone hopes that the sound of chopping vegetables at home is the loudest and longest in the village. Meat and vegetables are mixed with stuffing, which is homophonic to "have wealth". The sound of chopping the stuffing is the loudest and takes a long time, which means "you will have more money for a long time". The longer it takes to chop vegetables, the more dumplings will be made, which symbolizes a prosperous and prosperous life.
Speciality in the shape of dumplings
The shape of dumplings made on New Year’s Eve is also particular, and most areas are accustomed to maintaining the traditional crescent shape. When making this shape, fold the dough in half and knead it along the semicircular edge with the thumb and index finger of your right hand. Knead it carefully and evenly, which is called "Kneading Fu". Some farmhouses pinch the two corners of a crescent-shaped dumpling together to form a "yuanbao" shape and place it on the curtain, symbolizing wealth everywhere and the house full of gold and silver. Some farmers also knead the dumplings with wheat ear-shaped patterns, like plump and huge ears of wheat, symbolizing a bumper harvest in the new year. But more importantly, the dumplings are wrapped in several shapes, which indicates that the house will be full of wealth, the warehouse will be full of grain, and the life will be prosperous in the coming year.
The importance of placing dumplings
The dumplings made on New Year’s Eve are not only particular about their shape, but also their placement. First of all, it cannot be placed randomly. As the saying goes: "You are so busy that you don't let the dumplings wander around." When making dumplings every day, you can arrange them horizontally or vertically as you like, but this cannot be done for dumplings made on New Year's Eve. In Shandong and other places, round curtains are used. First, a few ingot-shaped dumplings are placed in the middle, and then arranged neatly layer by layer around the ingots. According to folk custom, "encircling blessings". Some families even stipulate that no matter how big or small the curtains are, only 99 curtains can be placed on each curtain, and they must be covered with curtains. Therefore, it can only be achieved by adjusting the spacing and row spacing of dumplings, which is called "endless happiness." Regarding this custom, there is an interesting story in folklore: A long time ago, in a poor mountain village, there was a very poor family who often had no meal at all. On New Year's Eve, there was no flour or vegetables at home. I listened to the sound of chopping vegetables all around, and I was very anxious. I had no choice but to borrow rice and noodles from relatives and friends. After making the noodles, I mixed some mixed vegetables into the filling and made the dumplings. Because the noodles are borrowed, the dumplings are especially precious. When placed, they are placed in a circle from the inside to the outside, very neat and beautiful. The Kitchen God, who had just returned from heaven, was very happy to see it. There was a rich man in the same village. His family had a fortune. He was used to eating delicacies from all over the world, so he didn't take dumplings seriously at all. On New Year's Eve, stuffings with meat, eggs and other ingredients are used to make dumplings and placed randomly on the curtain. After the dumplings are cooked, their taste changes completely. Pork filling turned into radish dish. But the poor family's dumplings turned out to be stuffed with meat and eggs. It turned out that the Kitchen God was very dissatisfied with the rich man's attitude towards making dumplings. In order to punish him, he secretly mixed the dumplings from the two families. The next day, the news spread in the village. From then on, no matter how busy people are, the New Year's Eve dumplings must be arranged neatly to get a "lucky circle". But in farmers in some areas of Heilongjiang, dumplings cannot be placed in a circle. It is said that arranging dumplings in a circle will make the days worse and worse. They must be arranged in horizontal rows so that money can flow in all directions.
Be careful about cooking and eating dumplings
Dumplings are not only made but also eaten on New Year’s Eve. As the saying goes: "Eat dumplings on New Year's Eve - no outsiders." It means that dumplings for New Year's Eve dinner are a symbol of family reunion. Dumplings on this day are eaten on New Year's Eve. They not only mean family reunion, but also have the meaning of renewing friendship. The custom of eating dumplings on New Year's Eve has been around for a long time, at least during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties.
"Ming Palace History" records the custom of eating dumplings during the New Year. "At the fifth watch..., eat water and snacks, that is, flat food." After being passed down and perfected, the custom of eating dumplings on New Year's Eve was formed in later generations, which was regarded as the meaning of saying goodbye to the old and renewing. Dumplings on New Year's Eve are accompanied by the sound of firecrackers to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. The dumplings are put into a boiling pot, cooked and taken out. They are first offered to the gods and ancestors, and then eaten with other foods.
There is also something special about cooking dumplings on New Year’s Eve. The firewood used to make the fire should be bean or sesame stalks, because the fire will become more prosperous as it burns, and the days of the coming year will grow taller and brighter like sesame seeds blooming. When boiling dumplings in the pot, do not stir them randomly with a shovel. Instead, shovel them in one direction against the edge of the pot to form a round shape, which is the same as placing the dumplings. In eastern Shandong, boiled dumplings are usually cooked to break a few, but taboo words such as broken, broken, rotten, etc. should not be used, but should be said to be "earned" or "raised". Because there are vegetables in the dumplings, and the vegetables are homophones for "wealth", so the dumplings are "earned", which means "earning wealth". They are for good luck and luck, so as to increase the joyful atmosphere of New Year's Eve. In some places in central Gansu, when cooking dumplings on New Year's Eve, a little noodles are added to cook and eat together, which is euphemistically called "silver wrapped ingots". The noodles should be thin and the dumplings should be wrapped in the shape of ingots, which symbolizes longevity and wealth. It is also auspicious and expresses people's good wishes.
There are also customary rules when eating dumplings. The first bowl must be offered first, to the ancestors and to the gods. The dumplings offered here are also very particular. There is a saying among the people in Hebei that "three gods and four ghosts". That is to offer 3 bowls to the gods, with 3 dumplings in each bowl; to offer 4 bowls to the ancestors, with 4 dumplings in each bowl; only the Kitchen God is the least respected, and only offers 1 bowl of dumplings. It only holds one, but some people feel sorry for it and just hold a few. In some places, after the dumplings are brought to the offering table, the elderly in the family will recite a prayer-like jingle devoutly, such as:
A flat piece of food with two pointed ends,
put it into the pot. Thousands.
Scoop with a golden spoon, carry it in a silver bowl,
Bring it to the table to respect God.
The gods like it when they see it.
Promise peace all year round.
The second bowl of dumplings should be served to the livestock to show love for the livestock. In the old days, large livestock such as cows and horses were the main working tools of farmers. People also hoped that livestock would have a safe and successful year just like people. The family started eating the third bowl. There are many kinds of New Year's Eve dinner on New Year's Eve, but you don't have to eat anything else, only dumplings are a must. Remember when eating, it is better to eat even numbers and not odd numbers. Some elderly people at home recite old sayings such as "there are many vegetables (money), there are many vegetables" while eating. After a meal, a few (an even number) must be deliberately left on the plates and bowls used to hold dumplings, even the pots used to cook dumplings, and the curtains on which raw dumplings are placed, which is called "more than enough every year." Even the stuffing and dough used to make dumplings must have "surplus".
Exotic dumplings
Many foreigners, like Chinese, also eat dumplings during the Spring Festival, but their cooking and eating methods have their own characteristics.
Korean dumplings
It is stuffed with beef, and they especially like to add a lot of chili peppers to the beef filling. The dumplings are made in a half-moon shape.
Vietnamese dumplings
With fish as the filling, a large amount of orange peel, pork, and eggs are added to the filling. The dumplings are the opposite of North Korean dumplings, with each one lying on its back.
Russian dumplings
Russian dumplings are filled with beef, carrots, eggs, onions, salt and MSG, but they also add some minced chili peppers to the dumpling fillings, and the buns are large Big, they use clear soup made from beef bones to cook dumplings. However, drinking boiled dumpling soup is the first course, and eating dumplings is the second course.
Indian dumplings
The ingredients and methods are similar to Russian dumplings, except that they are larger, but instead of being cooked, they are eaten grilled.
Mexican dumplings
They use onions, beef, tomatoes, and parsley as fillings. The dumpling wrappers are not rolled, but pressed into rectangular shapes by hand. The wrapped dumplings are not boiled in water, but cooked in seasoned soup with tomatoes, peppers, and onions. After eating the dumplings, drink the soup again, "the original soup becomes the original food."
Italian dumplings
The fillings are very different from those in China. Cheese, onions, and egg yolks are the main ingredients, and sometimes some spinach and beef are added. Another type is based on chicken and cheese. Ingredients, the main seasonings include butter, onion, lemon peel, and nutmeg.
To make dumplings, they press the dough into a long strip, put the stuffing in a spoonful, dip the edge of the dough into water, then press the same strip of dough together, and then cut each one with a knife. The method of cooking dumplings is the same as the Chinese.
Hungarian dumplings
Strictly speaking, the filling is jam, and even plums, apricots, and plums are also pickled for filling. The noodles they use to make dumplings are made with twice as much mashed potatoes as flour, a lot of lard, eggs, sugar and salt, and are also wrapped in fried bread crumbs.
The invention of dumplings
Dumplings are a traditional food loved by our people. Its preparation method is to first use flour to make thin and soft dumpling skins, then chop fresh meat, cabbage, etc., mix with condiments as fillings, wrap them up, and cook until the dumplings float to the surface. It is characterized by thin skin, tender filling, delicious taste, unique shape, and you will never get tired of eating it.
The original name of dumplings is "Jiao Er", which was first invented by Zhang Zhongjing, a Chinese medical sage.
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, disasters occurred in various places and many people suffered from diseases. There was a famous doctor in Nanyang named Zhang Ji, also known as Zhongjing. He studied medical books diligently since he was a child, learned from others' strengths, and became the founder of traditional Chinese medicine. Zhang Zhongjing not only had excellent medical skills and could cure all difficult and complicated diseases at his fingertips, but also had high medical ethics. He treated both poor and rich seriously and saved countless lives.
When Zhang Zhongjing was an official in Changsha, he often treated diseases for the people. One year when the local plague was prevalent, he built a big pot at the yamen gate and gave up medicine to save people. He was deeply loved by the people of Changsha. After Zhang Zhongjing retired from Changsha and returned to his hometown, he walked to the bank of Baihe River in his hometown and saw many poor people suffering from hunger and cold, and their ears were rotten by the frost. He felt very sad and determined to save them. When Zhang Zhongjing returned home, there were so many people seeking medical treatment that he was very busy, but he always kept in mind the poor people with rotten ears from the cold. He imitated the method in Changsha and asked his disciples to set up a medical shed and a large pot on an open space in Dongguan, Nanyang. They opened it on the winter solstice and gave medicine to the poor to treat their injuries.
Zhang Zhongjing's medicine is called "Quhan Jiaoer Soup". The method is to boil mutton, pepper and some cold-dispelling medicinal materials in a pot. After cooking, these things are taken out and chopped. , wrap the dough into an ear-shaped "Jiao Er", boil it in a pot and distribute it to patients begging for medicine. Each person has two charming ears and a bowl of soup. After people eat the Quhan Decoction, their whole body feels warm, their blood becomes smooth, and their ears become warm. After taking it for a period of time, the patient's rotten ears will be cured.
Zhang Zhongjing continued to give medicine until New Year's Eve. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people celebrate the New Year and the recovery of rotten ears. They make New Year's food like Jiao Er and eat it on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year. People call this kind of food "dumpling ears", "dumplings" or partial eclipse, and eat it on the winter solstice and the first day of the new year to commemorate the day when Zhang Zhongjing opened shed medicine and cured patients.
Zhang Zhongjing was born nearly 1800 years ago, but the story of his making "Jiao Er Tang to dispel cold" has been widely circulated among the people. Every winter solstice and New Year's Day, people eat dumplings and still remember Zhang Zhongjing's kindness in their hearts. Today, we no longer need to use Jiao'er to treat frozen rotten ears, but dumplings have become people's most common and favorite food.
Dumpling proverbs
On October 1st, when the winter solstice arrives, every household eats dumplings
This custom was left in memory of the "Medical Saint" Zhang Zhongjing who gave up medicine during the winter solstice. of. Zhang Zhongjing was from Gengdong, Nanyang. He wrote Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases, which was a collection of medical works and was regarded as a classic by doctors of all ages. Zhang Zhongjing has a famous saying: "If you advance, you will save the world; if you retreat, you will save the people; if you cannot be a good prime minister, you should also be a good doctor." During the Eastern Han Dynasty, he served as the prefect of Changsha, visiting patients and administering medicine, and practicing medicine in the lobby. Later, he resolutely resigned and returned to his hometown to treat his neighbors. It was winter when he returned home. He saw that the villagers on both sides of the Baihe River were sallow and thin, hungry and cold, and many of them had their ears rotten by the cold. So he asked his disciples to set up a medical tent and a large pot in Dongguan, Nanyang, and make "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction" to treat chilblains on the winter solstice. He put mutton, chili peppers and some cold-repelling medicinal materials in a pot and boiled them. Then he took out the mutton and the medicinal materials and chopped them into pieces. He used bread to make "jiao ears" like ears. After cooking, he distributed them to people who came to ask for medicine. Each person has two "Jiao Er" and a large bowl of broth. People ate "Jiao Er" and drank "Qu Han Tang", their whole bodies became warm, their ears felt hot, and their frostbitten ears were cured. Later generations imitated the appearance of "Jiao Er" and wrapped them into food, also called "dumplings" or "flat food". Eating dumplings during the winter solstice is to remember the kindness of "Medical Saint" Zhang Zhongjing's "Quhan Jiao Er Soup".
The more you drink, the better the dumplings will become.
It means the days will get better and better
Dumplings on the head and noodles on the other side
Futian is the time of year. There are "three volts" in a year when the temperature is the highest, it is humid and sultry. This is what the common people call the "bitter summer". When entering Fu, the wheat harvest is less than a month old, and every household's barn is full. People take advantage of this opportunity to make tooth sacrifices and eat white noodles. The dumplings are rare and top-quality, so there is a saying of "Toufu dumplings and Erfu noodles". statement.
Winter Solstice Dumplings and Summer Solstice Noodles
On the Summer Solstice, noodles are commonly eaten in various parts of Shandong, commonly known as "crossing the water surface". There is a proverb of "Winter Solstice Dumplings and Summer Solstice Noodles"
Eating dumpling soup is better than prescribing medicine
According to legend, in the early years of the Warring States Period, Bian Que, the genius doctor in Qincheng, rejuvenated the disease and cured all kinds of diseases. One winter, it was the first severe cold in a century. Many people suffered from frostbite, and some even had their ears frozen. What should I do? Bian Que, the miracle doctor, took white flour, rolled it into the shape of an ear, and stuck it on the roots of the ears that had been frozen off. Then he used some magic power to restore the ears to their original appearance. He also decoctioned the cold-resistant herbs and gave them to the patient. The patient felt all over his body. A warm current flows throughout my body, and I am no longer afraid of the cold. In order to commemorate Bian Que, the god who had both superb medical skills and a benevolent heart to relieve people's pain, later generations made ear-shaped food from flour and cooked it in an herbal soup to keep out the cold. This is where the saying comes from. .
It is better to sit upside down than to be comfortable, and it is not as delicious as dumplings.
This famous saying from the north is verified here. Northerners like to eat dumplings very much. In addition, there are also some sayings about dumplings, such as: A blind man eats dumplings - he knows what he knows; boiling dumplings in a teapot - he is full of food and cannot pour it out.