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How Dumplings Are Eaten in 10 Different Countries Around the World

How Dumplings Are Eaten in 10 Different Countries Around the World

By Sarah Schmalbruch / ThisisInsider.com

January 13, 2017

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This story originally appeared on Thisisinsider.com.

Dumplings are a comfort food found in cuisines around the world.

Some are sweet and some are savory, but they all strive to achieve that perfect dough-to-filling ratio.

From Chinese potstickers to Argentinian empanadas, chances are, no matter what country you're in, you'll be able to find a local version of the dumpling.

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Poland: pierogi

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Like other Polish food, pierogis make for a hearty meal. The dumplings can be filled with pretty much anything, like mashed potatoes, cheese, fried onions, mushrooms, meat, sauerkraut, or spinach.

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Spain: empanada

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Empanada is Spanish for "wrapped in bread," a fitting name for this fried Argentinian dumpling. Bite through the flakey crust and you'll commonly find a filling of ground beef, hard boiled eggs, olives, onions, paprika, and cumin. But they also come in plenty of other varieties.

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China: potsticker

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A well-known dumpling, the Chinese potsticker is pan-fried on one side and steamed in water or broth on the other side. The filling is commonly made from pork, shrimp, and cabbage.

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India: samosa

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Samosa are Indian dumplings that have a crispy, flaky, pastry-like shell, but are filled with spiced potatoes and peas, lentils, ground meat, or onions.

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Japan: gyoza

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These pan fried dumplings, known as gyoza, are the Japanese version of potstickers. They're stuffed with pork, cabbage, onion, and carrots, all of which are wrapped in a thin browned dough.

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America: apple dumplings

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An Amish dessert staple across America, apple dumplings are made from cored and peeled apple slices that are baked in dough with cinnamon and sugar. Topping these dumplings off with some vanilla ice cream is a must.

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Georgia: khinkali

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The khinkali is a dumpling served in Georgia, filled with spiced pork and beef and eaten with coarse black pepper. The meat mixture goes into the dough raw, so as the dumplings cook, they trap in flavorful juice.

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Israel: kreplach

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Known as "Jewish ravioli," kreplach are commonly eaten in soup and filled with beef or potatoes.

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Serbia: pelmeni

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Pelmeni originally come from Serbia, but are found all over Russia. The dumplings are stuffed with meat such as turkey or pork, mushrooms, or cheese.

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Germany: knödel

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Traditional German dumplings — knödel or klöße— are not filled with anything, but instead paired with German meats such as schnitzel, sauerbraten, or rouladen.

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