Chinese New Year Food, Jiaozi (Chinese Dumpling)

Jiaozi is a Chinese dumpling, widely popular in China, Japan, Korea, as well as outside of East Asia particularly in the United States.

Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping. Jiaozi should not be confused with wonton: jiaozi have a thicker skin and a flatter, more oblate, double-saucer like shape (similar in shape to ravioli), and is usually eaten with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce (and/or hot chili sauce); while a wonton has a thinner skin, is sphere-shaped, and is usually served in broth.

Chinese dumplings (jiaozi) may be divided into various types depending on how they are cooked:

Boiled dumplings: (shuijiao) literally "water dumplings" (水饺), the most common style in China.

Steamed dumplings: (zhengjiao) literally "steam-dumpling" (蒸饺).

Shallow fried dumplings: (guotie) lit. "pan stick", known as "potstickers" in N. America, (锅贴), also referred to as "dry-fried dumplings", this can be found in many Chinese restaurant in North American.

Egg dumplings: Dumplings that use egg rather than dough to wrap the filling are called "egg dumplings" or (蛋饺), very typical in Canton.

Common dumpling meat fillings include pork, mutton, beef, chicken, fish, and shrimp which are usually mixed with chopped vegetables. Popular vegetable fillings include cabbage, scallion (spring onions), and Chinese chives. Dumplings are eaten with a soy sauce-based dipping sauce that may include vinegar, garlic, ginger, rice wine, hot sauce, and sesame oil.

Dumplings are one of the major foods eaten during the Chinese New Year, and year round in the northern provinces. Traditionally, families get together to make jiaozi for the Chinese New Year. In rural areas, the choicest livestock is slaughtered, the meat ground and wrapped into dumplings, and frozen outside with the help of the freezing weather. Then they are boiled and served for the Chinese New Year feast. Dumplings with sweet, rather than savoury fillings are also popular as a Chinese New Year treat.