Pasta fans around the world unite in their love of dumplings, preferably handmade. Whether you know them as ravioli and tortellini or pelmeni and jiaozi, here are some tips to make them yourself. Berlin (dpa) – Tiny balls of filling lovingly parcelled up in noodles, boiled and served with sauce – whether you know these as tortellini or jiaozi, these are culinary stars worldwide. We enjoy them baked so they are crunchy, gently steamed or fried to golden brown, depending on where we are. Almost every culture has its own version of these versatile dumplings, whether it is Italian ravioli, Lithuanian koldūnai, Polish pierogi or and Korean mandu. And each reveals wonderful flavours plus a mouthful of history too. From China to Europe via trade routes No one really knows where these dishes originated. China is considered the cradle of the practical method of reusing leftovers, vegetables or meat in dough. Jiaozi are probably one of the oldest known dumplings. "Their roots lie in China, and the first dumplings were mentioned as early as the Han Dynasty, 200 BC," says Asia specialist and food blogger Stefan Leistner of Asiastreetfood in Bavaria. The crescent-shaped jiaozi, filled with pork, cabbage, garlic and ginger, are considered the precursors of dumplings such as gyoza from Japan or Korean mandu. Today, they are either boiled, steamed or fried. "The first dim sum appeared during the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th century) in teahouses in southern China, especially those located directly on the Maritime Silk Road," says cookbook author Orathay Souksisavanh, who grew up in Asia. To attract travellers and traders, small snacks began to be served with tea. Dim sum, or dian xin in Mandarin, literally means "those that touch the heart," the author says. Trade routes such as the Silk Road spread these little dough parcels from China to Korea, Japan, Central Asia and on to Europe. This explains the similarities to Russian pelmeni, Turkish manti and Italian ravioli. Each region has developed the basic idea further and adapted it to local ingredients, preparation methods and food culture. Ready-made dough from the shop For speed and ease, Souksisavanh suggests you use ready-made dough from the supermarket, in her cookbook about making Chinese dumplings at home. "All the ready-made doughs available in grocery stores are very practical and save time," she says. Use fresh dough without preservatives or additives. Leistner also encourages us to use ready-made dough. "Thinly rolled shortcrust pastry from the supermarket works surprisingly well as a quick homemade version: fill, fold, cook – done." And for those who want to go the authentic route, he recommends wantan wrappers from Asian shops, which are usually frozen. "Just thaw and unwrap – that's how you get the original at home," he says. Easy to make, just takes practice For Lithuanian-born Joana Gimbutyte, homemade dumplings are totally fine for beginners to attempt. "They were regularly prepared in my childhood in Lithuania – not least because they are relatively easy to make," she says. A trained chef and cookbook author from Austria, she adds, "Many doughs consist of only a few ingredients, and there are virtually no limits to creativity when it comes to fillings." Shaping them requires a little practice. However, it does not take long to get the hang of it. She recommends starting with simple doughs such as pasta made from flour, water and a little oil. The right consistency is crucial – the dough should be neither too dry nor too sticky. Thorough kneading, by hand, with a mixer or food processor, makes it nice and smooth and supple. Afterwards, let it rest so that it is easier to work with. Smooth dough made from wheat flour using hot water For dumplings, use either wheat flour or starch for the transparent dough, Souksisavanh says. For dough made from wheat flour (type 550), "the key to success is to mix the flour with boiling water and knead immediately while the dough is still hot." As soon as the boiling water comes into contact with the flour, it cools down and you can easily work the dough by hand. The higher temperature makes the texture of the dough much more delicate and softer compared to dough made with cold water. Leistner says beginners should try their hand at half-moon-shaped jiaozi or gyoza, the Japanese version of jiaozi. The thin dough is easy to shape and fold into a half-moon. You fill them with minced pork or tofu and finely chopped Chinese cabbage, ginger and garlic, then cook the dumplings in a pan. Soul food from way back Depending on the culture, potato dough, yeast dough or puff pastry can also be used to envelop a delicious filling. Baos or baozi, which originate from northern China and remind Souksisavanh of her childhood, are a type of filled roll made from yeast dough, which are usually steamed. Her favourites are "Mama's Baos" filled with minced pork belly and diced vegetables. "We spent a lot of time back then trying to find an extra-fluffy dough that was somewhere between a French croissant and a Chinese bao," she says. Gimbutyte says the variety of fillings should not be off-putting. "Dumplings can look rustic – it's the taste that counts!" She loves the koldūnai from her Lithuanian homeland, filled with vegetables, meat or even sweet fillings. "They remind me of my childhood and family celebrations, where dumplings were simply a part of the tradition," she says. Vegetarian mushroom dumplings are a must, especially at Christmas. The many names of ravioli Italian-born Laura Zavan enjoys inviting friends over and preparing fresh ravioli with them, which everyone can fill as they like. "Ravioli generally refers to filled pasta – but depending on the region, they can have different shapes and names. Sometimes the shape gives them their name, but sometimes it's the region or the filling," she says in her cookbook about ravioli. Zavan's simple recipe is homemade pasta dough filled with cheese, vegetables, meat or fish. She varies the shapes from semi-circular, square, straight or twisted and cooks them al dente. Then she just tosses the parcels in butter or serves them with sage or tomato sauce for a simple but tasty treat. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn hpz bzl cwg lue xxde arw
(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
