Who doesn’t like dumplings? Apart from their fillings, dumplings are divided by one more characteristic: fried or steamed. But which of the two is better? Don’t worry; today, I am going to tell you exactly that.
The main difference between fried dumplings and steamed Dumplings is their cooking method. Fried dumplings are fried in oil, whereas steamed dumplings are simply steamed.
It is the primary difference between fried dumplings and steamed dumplings. However, that’s not the only difference. You should read this article if you are unfamiliar with this topic. We are here to discuss these in detail.
We will discuss its similarities, differences, health benefits, recipes, and more! If you are a dumplings fan, this article is for you. So let’s directly jump into the difference table of fried and steamed dumplings.
Fried Dumplings Vs. Steamed Dumplings | Difference table
| Basis Of Difference | Fried Dumplings | Steamed Dumplings |
|---|---|---|
| Fillings | pork, beef, chicken, vegetable | pork, beef, chicken, vegetables |
| Texture | Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside | Soft and chewy on the outside and inside |
| Taste | More flavorful exterior | Bland exterior |
| Cooking technique | Fried and steamed at the same time in a pan | Cooked in a steamer |
What is a Fried Dumpling?
Fried dumplings, also known as Jian Jio. Its crispy texture with its slightly nutty and caramelized flavor is a go-to option for many people.
Easy to prepare, it requires adding oil and water to the pan before covering it for about 10 minutes.
It is made of dough and prepared simultaneously, steaming and frying in a pan. Due to being fried, dumplings have a crispy exterior in contrast to the soft interior.
A good tip for making good dumplings is to combine fatty content with good aromatics as a filling to prevent the dumplings from tasting like oil.
What is a Steamed Dumpling?
Steamed dumplings, also called Jiaozi, are the most traditional Chinese dish. It is frequently crescent-shaped and served with sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce.
The skin of dumplings made for gentle steaming is thinner and more delicate. The steaming process takes 10 to 15 minutes, resulting in softer, chewier dumplings.
The filling inside the dumplings speaks for itself with its juicy, flavorful, and perfect blend of spices, and their exterior tastes somewhat bland compared to fried dumplings.
Fried Dumplings and Steamed Dumplings | What are the similarities between the two?
Before knowing the difference between fried and steamed dumplings in detail, let’s find out why they are similar.
Both Have the Same Fillings
Steamed and fried dumplings use the same fillings. It entirely depends on you what types of fillings you want to add to the dumplings.
According to your choice, you can choose your dumpling’s filling, but there are some popular fillings you can try:
- Soup dumplings
- Minced meat and vegetables.
- Sweet fillings, such as fruits, nuts, or sweetened cheese.
- Solid dumplings like gnocchi or knödel.
You can find dumplings filled with seafood like shrimp and fish, vegetables such as cucumber or cabbage, and different meats, from pork and chicken to beef and even mutton.
Both Have The Same Preparation Method
As I’ve already mentioned, steamed and fried dumplings are prepared in almost the same manner. It starts with a dumpling dough, usually made from flour or water, kneaded and rolled out, and a filling.
Both dumplings have the same filling. After being filled and pressed together, the dumplings must cook, and there are two options: steaming or frying.
Now, we are familiar with the similarities between fried and steamed dumplings. Let’s jump into the differences.
Fried Dumplings and Steamed Dumplings | What is the difference between the two?
1. Cooking Method
The first and major difference between the two is their cooking method.
Steamed dumplings are cooked in a steamer. It takes 15 to 20 minutes. One good thing is that the boiler does batch cooking, which means we can make them in bunch and store them in the refrigerator.
Fried dumplings, also referred to as “pan-fried,” involve a two-stage cooking process. The dumplings are first fried in oil on one side and then steamed by adding water to the same oil.
The frying and steaming result in a crispy bottom, soft top, and tender filling.
2. Taste
As I told you before, the fillings inside the dumplings determine the taste of the dumplings. It can be savory or sweet. For example, a meat dumpling filled tastes poles apart from a fruit dumpling.
Many people don’t even know about sweet dumplings, as savory dumplings are more popular. They are filled with different meats or vegetables to enhance their taste.
When dumplings are fried properly, the intensely flavorful taste is just perfect because the middle remains soft while the sides become crispy. The chewy texture of the filling is replaced by an oily flavor when fried.
On the other hand, boiled or steamed dumplings are milder in flavor and taste. They are bland compared to fried dumplings. Steamed dumplings continue to taste soft and smooth.
The taste is not the only element making dumplings so popular, also the texture. The way you cook them will affect the texture of the dumplings.
3. Texture
The texture is one of the most evident changes in the dumplings.
Frying the dumplings makes them more crunchy and flavorful. Dumpling’s color changes to a stunning golden brown. The dumplings’ exterior is crispy, while their interiors are soft and chewy.
Dumplings that have been steam-cooked have an excellent, soft, and chewy texture on the inside and out. Compared to fried dumplings, it tastes bland.
Top Recipes For Steamed Dumplings
1. Shui Jiao Dumplings
Shui jiao dumplings are one of the four varieties of Jiaozi, along with Zheng jiao, jiao jiao, and tang jiao,
Famous in Asian cuisine, as they are water boiled and can be filled with anything from chicken to beef, leeks, lamb, and more.
2. Xiao Long Bao Dumplings
Xiao Long Bao dumplings are also known as Shanghai Soup dumplings because they originate from Shanghai. Their primary filling is soup-filled pork.
They contain a paper-thin wrapper enveloping a seasoned pork filling and hot, flavorful soup. They are quite fresh with a slight sweetness and umami flavors.
You can find these dumplings in dim sum restaurants with a wide variety.
3. Wonton Dumplings
Wonton is a type of Chinese dumpling found in the regional styles of Chinese cuisine. Wonton dumplings are popular in wonton soup. They fill with ground pork and shrimp, whole shrimp, or shrimp paste.
Dumplings are circular, but wontons can be triangular, rectangular, or square.
Dumplings served with a dipping sauce. Dumplings’ filling is mildly seasoned, whereas wontons are usually served without one because the filling is fully seasoned.
4. Mandu Dumplings
Mandu dumplings come from Korea and are mostly served with Kimchi. These are filled with ground pork, tofu, garlic chives, or beef. It consists of a savory filling wrapped in thin wrappers and can go best with mildly spicy sauce.
There are many variations of Mandu dumplings based on how they are cooked, called jjin mandu (steamed), Tuigin mandu ( deep fried), Gun mandu (pan-fried), or Mul mandu (boiled).
5. Banh Bot Loc Dumplings
Banh Bot Loc dumplings are the staple food of Vietnam. They are typically filled with shrimp, and pork belly wrapped in tapioca and served with sweet chili fish sauce for an incredible taste.
Things to remember while making these dumplings are that they have a short shelf life and have to be eaten fresh.
They are of small size, so use the smallest fresh shrimp you can find, and it takes only 10 minutes to steam.
Top Recipes for Fried Dumplings
1. Gyoza Dumplings
Gyoza dumplings were first created in Japan during World War II.
It is fried dumplings filled with pork or seafood. It is one of the staple snacks in Japan, and it tastes great with soy sauce.
Typically, it is filled with a delicious combination of finely minced pork, mushrooms, mushrooms, and cabbage.
Gyoza wrappers are also thinner than dumpling wrappers. When it comes to shape, Gyoza is usually crescent-shaped, while dumplings can be any shape.
2. Guo Tie Dumplings
Guo Tie dumplings are also known as pot stickers. These are filled with ground meat and vegetables and served with soy sauce on the side for dipping.
Guo Tie dumplings taste crispy on the outside and quite fresh on the inside. After being fried, the wrappers turn yellow and white, and the fillings are aromatic and delicious.
3. Coxinhas
Coxinhas is a specialty of Brazil that means ‘little thigh .’It is made from a thick dough stuffed with shredded chicken. Its shape resembles a chicken leg. It is served with dipping sauce.
For a crispy and perfect Coxinhas, you’ll need boiled chicken breasts combined with cream cheese, onions, and spices like salt and pepper or chili powder if you want it a little spicy.
4. Empanadas
Empanadas are from Galicia, a region in northwest Spain. It is made from beef, olives, and eggs and has plenty of spices.
It is crescent-shaped, savory, and filled with a variety of ingredients.
You can use anything from beef, chicken, pork, tuna, shellfish, cheese, and/or vegetables as filling, then bake or fry to perfection.
5. Knish
Knish is an Ashkenazi Jewish snack that comes from Eastern Europe. Traditionally, it is a prominent option for vegetarians, including mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, onions, or cheese.
Other varieties, such as beef, chicken, black beans, and spinach, are now available.
Knives may be round, rectangular, or square. They may be entirely covered in dough, then baked or deep-fried.
Whenever we eat some food, we always think the taste is superb and the texture is great. Is it even healthy? I’ll talk about which is healthier.
Fried dumplings Vs. Steamed Dumpling | Which is healthier?
Steamed dumplings are the clear winner as they contain less oil than fried dumplings. They are cooked in a steamer with water and have fewer fats and calories.
Due to the use of oil during the cooking process, fried dumplings contain more fat than their steamed counterparts.
Fried Dumpling Vs. Steamed Dumpling | Which is tastier?
The taste of dumplings largely depends on the filling used inside them. It can be savory or sweet.
Fried dumplings have a crunchy and flavorful texture when fried properly. Their sides become crispy while they remain soft in the center.
The flavor of steamed dumplings is smooth and defined, and the herbs and spices used create harmony. But they are bland when compared to fried dumplings.
Undoubtedly, fried dumplings win in this category and are tastier.
Fried Dumpling Vs. Steamed Dumpling | Which is more versatile?
Indeed, dumplings are a versatile food that comes in a wide range of sizes and shapes, each with its own personality.
Dumplings allow people to pick their favorite filling from a variety of options available such as spinach, ricotta, carrots, and cabbage, as well as meats such as chicken, lamb, pork, or beef, and seafood such as dried shrimp and shrimp.
Dumplings are a versatile option whether they are steamed or fried. I have a hard time deciding which is more versatile. So, it is a tie.
Fried Dumplings Vs. Steamed Dumplings | Which is better?
You can choose steamed or fried dumplings based solely on your own preferences. Many people assume that because fried dumplings are fried in oil, they are tastier and have a crunchy, flavorful exterior.
Steamed dumplings, however, might be simpler to prepare if you’re making a large quantity. Many people prefer steamed dumplings over fried dumplings because they are healthier.
In my opinion, fried dumplings are better.
Conclusion
Now we are at the end of this article; I hope I can help you solve all your queries regarding whether to choose steamed as well as fried dumplings when given an option.
In this article, I talked about steamed and fried dumplings, how they are both different and similar, and their various recipes.
Thus, I’m concluding this article. Hope to see you with a much more interesting one next time! Visit our website for more details on comparing ingredients frequently mistaken for being the same.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many calories are in steamed and fried dumplings?
Calories in steamed dumplings are always lower than in fried dumplings, and it is entirely different from the fillings used. For Instance, Steamed pork dumplings have 80 calories in one piece, whereas fried pork dumplings have 96 calories.
Is Gyoza steamed or fried?
Gyoza is a type of fried dumpling.
Are potstickers steamed or fried?
Potstickers are fried dumplings.
