As archaeologists delved into ancient tombs at Turfan in western China, they discovered some surprisingly well-preserved and familiar artifacts. Although hardened for 1,000 years, there were small crescent-shaped fritters sitting there.
Who invented dumplings remains a mystery.
But some scholars suspect that they were first spread throughout the ancient world by nomadic Turkic peoples living in western China and Central Asia.
This is considered the case because "manti", meaning "dumpling" or "steamed bun", appears to be the root word for dumpling in many Turkish languages.
Ancient Turks probably filled their dumplings with meat. But it is not clear when the practice began, or whether they learned the art of making dumplings from others.
However it happened, dumplings certainly gathered steam in ancient China. This is where they first appear in the written record: more than 1,700 years ago, in a mouth-watering nonsense by the scholar Shu Zhi.
In his poem, Shu refers to some of the cooking methods from foreign lands. He describes the steamed wheat product as "minto". And he describes the preparation of reverently kneaded dough balls called "Lao Wan".
They are filled with pork, mutton and aromatics,
dipped in a dark meat sauce, then quickly gobbled up, leaving people with an uneasy and fanciful feast. Over the next thousand years, dumplings continued to evolve and diversify in China.
Instead of the traditional meat filling, some communities opted for vegetarian dumplings. People developed new ways of cooking.
And since wheat was difficult to grow outside of northern China, people in other regions began making dumplings using rice, tapioca, and sweet potatoes.
The connection between Chinese dumplings and those in other regions is difficult to trace, but food historians have made their best guesses based on available clues.
Turkic tribes spread out and eventually established the Ottoman Empire around 1300 CE, bringing the wrapped morsels with them to the West. In what is now Turkey, most people do not fill dumplings with pork because of Islamic restrictions.
Instead, manti will be filled with ingredients like
lamb, drizzled with garlic, yogurt and melted butter, then topped with herbs and spices. Some scholars believe that the Mongol Empire also helped spread dumplings, perhaps introducing them to parts of Eastern Europe.
These fritters could have come via China or directly from some of the Turkic nations that the Mongols hired to run their empire.
One theory is that it gave rise to dumplings such as Russian pelmeni, and the large pierogi and wrynyki eaten in Poland and Ukraine, which are filled with things like potatoes, cabbage, cheese and cherries.
The Mongol Empire also controlled Korea and may have also introduced dumplings there, where "mandu" can be eaten with regional ingredients such as kimchi.
Later, after varieties of Chinese dumplings were introduced to more countries, English speakers began to call them dumplings.
The term means "little lumps" and is believed to have been first used in 16th-century England to describe balls of flour dipped in liquid.
Like kandel and matzo balls, they have no filling.
So, the word was actually vaguely incorrect, but it stuck nonetheless. When Japan occupied China during World War II, Chinese "jiaozi" were brought to Japan, where they in turn became known as "gyoza" and were usually pan-fried.
So what about the fact that every region of Italy has its own type of dumpling-filled pasta?
Some historians believe that the Arab conquerors brought dumplings when they ruled Sicily between the 9th and 11th centuries. But the jury is still out. It is unlikely that all dumpling-esque dishes come from the same tradition.
In many cases, it may simply be that culinary visionaries from different cultures shared a similar revelation: that cooking things encased in flour would be delightful.
Either way, we can appreciate those plump pockets of perfection—and the tangled, mysterious historical web that has made the dumpling so diverse and divine.
This post is made possible in collaboration with Marriott Hotels. With more than 590 hotels and resorts worldwide, Marriott Hotels celebrates the curiosity that drives us to travel.
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