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Interesting story about jiaozi
By Zhu Guangzu |
January 25, 2009, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MAKING and eating jiaozi is a custom passed down from generation to generation in the northern part of our country. Especially on the first day of the Chinese New Year, jiaozi is a must for the family. All the family members are sitting together, making jiaozi while chatting happily. The house is full of laughters.
It is said that jiaozi was originated from the Southern and Northern Dynasties 1,400 years ago. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) there was a kind of dumping in the shape of a knife and in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) another kind of dumpling was invented. It was called "Zhaorou Shuang jiaozi." That might be the rudiments of jiaozi. The name of jiaozi has been changed again and again in the different dynasties, however, the same custom of making and eating jiaozi has been remained same. Almost all the families in the country will do the same thing, no matter whether they are wealthy or poor. Jiaozi is a very important food for the Spring Festival.
As a matter of fact, there is a careful study on the shape of jiaozi. If you make it shaped like a new moon, it means happiness. The farmers like to make a shoe-shaped jiaozi with patterns of wheat head on its edge, which means gold and silver will come to their homes and good harvest is awaiting ahead.
The stuffing of jiaozi is quite different between the southern and northern part of the country. Most people like to have pork, beef or mutton as its stuffing. However the Cantonese like to have fish, even shrimp as its filling. The method of cooking is also varied. Some like to boil, some like to steam, some even like to have the jiaozi fried.
It is very interesting that apart from Chinese, some foreigners are also found of eating jiaozi. The Koreans like to have beef as its stuffing with a lot of hot peppers while the Vietnamese like to put fish inside, together with pork, egg and the orange peel. The fillings for Russians are carrot, beef, egg, onion and the powder of red pepper. The size of the Russia jiaozi is very huge. It was boiled in the soup of the ox bone. Before eating the jiaozi you have to take the soup of the ox bone. The fillings for Indians are almost the same as the Russian's, but the size of which is even bigger. It should be roasted before eating. Japanese jiaozi is almost the same as the guotie in China. The only difference is the filling, which is usually made of octopus and ginger. The stuffing for the Kazaks is extremely particular. They use lamb and beef with spice and add butter, yoghurt and the dust of onion on the steamed jiaozi. When Hungarians make jiaozi, they put inside it with fruit jam, plum, apricot and dark plum. The wrapper of jiaozi is made of dough with double amount of potato paste. The wrapper of jiaozi made by Mexicans is pressed into a rectangle shape. The jiaozi will be boiled in the soup of onion, beef, tomato and hot pepper. Before drinking the soup you should first eat the jiaozi. As for the jiaozi in Italy, which is very famous for its noodles, it is totally different from that of China. With its filling made of cheese, onion, yolk, seasoned by butter, lemon peel and nutmeg, the wrapper of jiaozi is pressed into a long piece. The filling will be put onto the wrapper then wrap it. You need to cut it into pieces with a knife before eat it.
Spring Festival is a good time for the families, relatives and friends getting together. It will be a great fun for you to make jiaozi by yourselves.
It is said that jiaozi was originated from the Southern and Northern Dynasties 1,400 years ago. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) there was a kind of dumping in the shape of a knife and in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) another kind of dumpling was invented. It was called "Zhaorou Shuang jiaozi." That might be the rudiments of jiaozi. The name of jiaozi has been changed again and again in the different dynasties, however, the same custom of making and eating jiaozi has been remained same. Almost all the families in the country will do the same thing, no matter whether they are wealthy or poor. Jiaozi is a very important food for the Spring Festival.
As a matter of fact, there is a careful study on the shape of jiaozi. If you make it shaped like a new moon, it means happiness. The farmers like to make a shoe-shaped jiaozi with patterns of wheat head on its edge, which means gold and silver will come to their homes and good harvest is awaiting ahead.
The stuffing of jiaozi is quite different between the southern and northern part of the country. Most people like to have pork, beef or mutton as its stuffing. However the Cantonese like to have fish, even shrimp as its filling. The method of cooking is also varied. Some like to boil, some like to steam, some even like to have the jiaozi fried.
It is very interesting that apart from Chinese, some foreigners are also found of eating jiaozi. The Koreans like to have beef as its stuffing with a lot of hot peppers while the Vietnamese like to put fish inside, together with pork, egg and the orange peel. The fillings for Russians are carrot, beef, egg, onion and the powder of red pepper. The size of the Russia jiaozi is very huge. It was boiled in the soup of the ox bone. Before eating the jiaozi you have to take the soup of the ox bone. The fillings for Indians are almost the same as the Russian's, but the size of which is even bigger. It should be roasted before eating. Japanese jiaozi is almost the same as the guotie in China. The only difference is the filling, which is usually made of octopus and ginger. The stuffing for the Kazaks is extremely particular. They use lamb and beef with spice and add butter, yoghurt and the dust of onion on the steamed jiaozi. When Hungarians make jiaozi, they put inside it with fruit jam, plum, apricot and dark plum. The wrapper of jiaozi is made of dough with double amount of potato paste. The wrapper of jiaozi made by Mexicans is pressed into a rectangle shape. The jiaozi will be boiled in the soup of onion, beef, tomato and hot pepper. Before drinking the soup you should first eat the jiaozi. As for the jiaozi in Italy, which is very famous for its noodles, it is totally different from that of China. With its filling made of cheese, onion, yolk, seasoned by butter, lemon peel and nutmeg, the wrapper of jiaozi is pressed into a long piece. The filling will be put onto the wrapper then wrap it. You need to cut it into pieces with a knife before eat it.
Spring Festival is a good time for the families, relatives and friends getting together. It will be a great fun for you to make jiaozi by yourselves.
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