Hi ChinesePod team, my question is this:
Are there different words for different kinds of dumplings? Or are they all some form of bao?
In America, we just call any or all dumplings, dumplings. But in fact there are all kinds of dumplings so it gets kind of confusing.
Does that make sense?
Hi Alannacakes18,
This question opens an endless fun topic for all of us Chinese foodies out there! Yes, dumplings are broadly used in Asian restaurants in the west to mean a broad range of ingredients wrapped in flour wrapping, shaped in different sizes, and cooked in different ways. “Bao” as you mentioned refers to a flour wrap that rises to become a bun. And with different ingredients wrapped inside the steam bun, the bun is generally called after the main ingredient. Some flour wrappings do not rise like that in potstickers, 鍋貼 guōtiē. They are called very differently.
BTW, check out our PINS in https://www.pinterest.com/chinesepod/pins/
There is one on Chinese Chive Potstickers and more!