On the winter solstice, who can resist a bowl of hot dumplings?

The Winter Solstice is not only an important solar term among the 24 solar terms, but also one of the "Four Seasons and Eight Festivals" in the traditional festival culture of the Chinese nation. In the past, the Winter Solstice was considered as important as the New Year. People had the custom of celebrating the winter and worshipping the winter. Relatives and friends gathered together, feasted and had fun, and expressed their gratitude for the harvests of the previous year and their expectations for a good harvest in the coming year . Of course, a special ritual is indispensable in the cold season - eating dumplings.

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01

More than just a delicacy : the warmth and wisdom of winter solstice traditions

How many people remember dumplings as the most delicious food in the world in their childhood memories? As a traditional food of the Chinese nation, especially in northern my country, eating dumplings during festivals represents festive reunion, and entertaining guests with dumplings implies respect and hospitality. The custom of eating dumplings on the winter solstice began in a cold winter more than 2,600 years ago.

It is said that Zhang Zhongjing, the "Medical Saint" of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was on his way back to his hometown after resigning from his official position. It was winter when he met fellow villagers who were emaciated, hungry and cold, and many people's ears were frozen. He asked his disciples to boil mutton and some cold-relieving herbs in a pot, then fished out and chopped them up, and wrapped them in dough to make ear-shaped snacks. After people ate the "jiao'er" and drank the "cold-relieving soup", their bodies became warm, their ears became hot, and their frostbitten ears slowly recovered. Later generations called "jiao'er" "dumplings" or "bianshi". To this day, there is a folk song in Nanyang that "If you don't eat dumplings on the winter solstice, no one will care if your ears freeze off."

Gradually, dumplings evolved from the physiological needs of satisfying hunger to the cultural symbolic meaning of reunion and happiness, and were deeply integrated into the genes of the Chinese people. Local special dumplings were formed all over the country , such as halal dumplings, Northeast pickled cabbage dumplings, Jiaodong Spanish mackerel dumplings, Shanghai pot sticker dumplings, Chengdu Zhong dumplings, etc. Further south, there are taro dumplings in Fujian, crystal shrimp dumplings in Guangzhou, fish skin dumplings in Shunde, and rice dumplings in Guangxi... Dumplings have a more crystal clear and fragrant feature.

A wide variety of dumplings.

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02

How many liang of dumplings should you order ? You may not always order the right one

Not only Chinese people like to eat dumplings, but foreigners also have a special liking for dumplings. Some time ago, a netizen shared the experience of his overseas friends on social media. Several foreigners came to China on a business trip. When scanning the code to order food, they thought that "liang" meant "two" in Chinese, and understood one liang of dumplings as "one pair". Five people ordered more than 40 liang of dumplings. In the end, they packed nearly 300 dumplings and took them back to the hotel in more than 30 boxes.

While this story is hilarious, it also makes people curious: why do restaurants measure dumplings by "liang" instead of "pieces"?

"Liang" is a unique unit of measurement in China. After Qin Shihuang unified China, the first thing he did was to unify the weights and measures to ensure stable taxes and regulate the market. The units are zhu, liang, jin, jun, and shi. 1 shi is equal to 4 jun, 1 jun is equal to 30 jin, 1 jin is equal to 16 liang, and 1 liang is equal to 24 zhu . This is how the idiom "half a jin and eight liang" came about.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, 16 liang was extremely inconvenient to measure. After the reform in 1959, the conversion of jin and liang was changed to 10 liang for one jin, and 1 liang for 50 grams. The use of "jin" and "liang" is related to the grain coupon system in the planned economy era. In that special era, it was not enough to have money to eat in a restaurant, but also to have grain coupons. Grain coupons represented the purchase qualification. Grain coupons were in units of "liang". One liang of grain coupons could buy one liang of staple food (calculated by raw weight). Therefore, one liang of dumplings refers to the number of dumplings wrapped in dumpling skins rolled out of one liang of dry flour .

The planned economy era has passed, and food coupons have been cancelled for many years, but the habit of measuring by "liang" has been used. Not only dumplings, but also Jiangnan's fried buns, soup dumplings, and rice in the canteen are sold by "liang". Generally speaking, a restaurant has 6-7 dumplings in one liang. Some people have done experiments and found that 6 dumplings can weigh up to 130 grams, and 3 buns can weigh up to 200 grams.

03

Two ounces of dumplings and a bowl of rice? Dumplings are so high in calories , how can we eat them healthier?

"Nothing tastes better than dumplings." Dumplings are not only a traditional delicacy, but also a nutritional powerhouse. They contain noodles, meat, and vegetables, and are a "perfect combination" of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. From a nutritional point of view, dumplings are a type of food that is conducive to achieving food diversification. In addition, chopped fillings are easier to be absorbed by the human body, so they are particularly suitable for people with weak gastrointestinal functions, such as young children and the elderly.

However, dumplings are often regarded as a scourge and "junk food" by those who want to lose weight, and are classified as a calorie-dense food. Does eating dumplings really make you fat? In fact, if they are cooked correctly and matched well, dumplings can become a more perfect food, adding points to nutrition and health.

(1) Regardless of whether the filling is vegetarian or meaty, it is recommended to eat it in moderation

Dumplings are delicious, especially in this weather, freshly cooked dumplings are particularly tempting and it is easy to eat too much. Under normal circumstances, a normal 2-liang dumpling is about 12 pieces. The amount of carbohydrates contained in the dough alone is equivalent to a bowl of rice. Add the fillings and the calories are even higher. Therefore, no matter how delicious the dumplings are, 2-3 liang is enough for one meal.

(2) Add some ingredients when rolling the dough, and control the oil and salt when preparing the filling

The flour used for dumpling wrappers is usually refined white flour, which can easily lead to an increase in the glycemic index. If you eat dumplings and rice, the calorie intake will soar. It is recommended to add some whole grain powder or bean powder rich in minerals, B vitamins and dietary fiber when kneading the dough. It should be noted that the amount added should be controlled within 10-20%, otherwise it will affect the taste; you can also add squeezed vegetable juice when kneading the dough, such as spinach juice to increase the potassium content, carrot juice to increase the carotene content, and the color is more attractive to increase appetite; you can also add milk and soy milk when kneading the dough to make the dough more chewy and not easy to break.

Extra oil is usually added when preparing dumpling fillings. Too much edible oil will increase the risk of obesity and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Olive oil and flaxseed oil can be used instead of peanut oil, soybean oil, etc. when preparing the fillings, control the amount of fat, and increase the proportion of vegetables. In addition, fungi rich in dietary fiber such as black fungus and shiitake mushrooms, and algae such as kelp and wakame can be added to improve the taste and increase nutrition.

Many people like meat dumplings, but meat itself contains a certain amount of sodium, and condiments such as MSG and soy sauce also contain a lot of sodium. In particular, frozen dumplings sold in supermarkets contain about 400mg/100g of sodium, which means that 5 or 6 dumplings contain 1 gram of salt. If you don't pay attention and eat too much, it will increase the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. If you make dumplings at home, try to choose lean meat or chicken, shrimp, etc. If the meat filling is added with MSG and other seasonings, you need to reduce the amount of salt accordingly.

(3) Boil first, fry less, and cook at low temperature for better health

Steaming and boiling belong to low-temperature cooking, which can preserve more nutrients without producing harmful substances. Although fried dumplings are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, they are tempting, but high-temperature cooking methods such as frying and baking tend to use more oil and produce harmful substances such as acrylamide and benzopyrene. At the same time, choosing vinegar as a dipping sauce can not only improve the taste, but also inhibit the rise of blood sugar.

Mixing dough, rolling out dough, mixing stuffing, putting dumplings in the pot... each process, ups and downs, contains endless wishes and expectations . In the long winter, we wait for the arrival of spring and family reunion. Have you eaten dumplings today?

Author: Wang Guoyi, Postdoctoral Fellow in Nutrition and Food Safety at China Agricultural University, Chairman of the Senior Food and Health Committee of Beijing Food Society

Produced by: Science Popularization China

Produced by: China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd., China Science and Technology Publishing House (Beijing) Digital Media Co., Ltd.