Dumplings are a broad term to describe pieces of dough that envelope some sort of meat or veggie filling. Potstickers, wontons and gyoza are all dumplings found in Asian cuisine. The main differences lie in their country of origin, the type and thickness of the dough and cooking method.
Image by verygreen.
Every one of these dumplings starts off as some filling wrapped into different shapes, then here’s where they really differ:
- Potstickers: Potstickers are the more recognisable name for Chinese pan-fried dumplings called guo tie. These are “steam-fried/” to preserve their juiciness and also to make the bottom layer brown and crispy. On the other hand, if you boil or steam these same potstickers, they’re called suijiao and zhengjiao, respectively. At authentic Chinese restaurants, you sometimes do have to make this differentiation.
- Wontons: Wontons are another type of Chinese dumpling, but unlike potstickers, wontons usually use a different dough, have a more balled shape, and are served in a broth. The shrimp-containing wontons that you’re probably familiar with are Hong Kong style, which are served in soup. Some people argue that wontons are essentially boiled potstickers, but there isn’t a really distinct line that separates the two.
- Gyoza: Gyoza is the Japanese version of potstickers, except they follow a more consistent shape (long and thin) and has a much thinner outer skin. The boiled version of gyoza is called sui-gyoza.
In the end, one thing is certain: potstickers, wontons, gyoza and pretty much any dumplings all fell under the “delicious” category.