Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together.

Jiaozi can be boiled (shuǐjiǎo), steamed (zhēngjiǎo), pan-fried (jiānjiǎo), or deep-fried (zhàjiǎo), and are traditionally served with a black vinegar and sesame oil dip.

However, this is a misnomer, as "potsticker" in its original usage in northern China refers to a specific type of dumpling which is considered separate from the jiaozi.

Zhang Zhongjing was on his way home during wintertime when he saw that many common people had frostbitten ears, because they did not have warm clothes and sufficient food.

He treated these poor people by stewing lamb, black pepper, and some warming medicines in a pot, chopped them, and used them to fill small dough wrappers.

Yan Zhitui during the Northern Qi dynasty (AD 550–577) wrote: "Today the jiaozi, shaped like a crescent moon, is a common food in the world."

[9] At the same time, jiaozi look like yuan bao silver or gold ingots used as currency during the Ming dynasty, and as the name sounds like the word for the earliest paper money, serving them is believed to bring prosperity.

Pan-fried dumplings can be joined together by a brown, crispy lattice base created by pouring a flour and water mix into the pan at the end of cooking.

Common dumpling meat fillings include chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, and fish which are usually mixed with chopped vegetables.

Popular vegetable fillings include napa cabbage, scallion (spring onions), celery, leek, spinach, mushroom, carrot, garlic chives, and edible black fungus.

In contrast to jiaozi, Cantonese gaau ji are rarely homemade because the wrapper, which needs to be thin but tough enough to not break, is more difficult to make.

'shrimp dumplings'), but fillings can include scallop, chicken, tofu, and mixed vegetables; dim sum restaurants often feature their own house specials or innovations.

Dim sum chefs and artists often use ingredients in new or creative ways, or draw inspiration from other Chinese culinary traditions, such as Chaozhou, Hakka, or Shanghai.

More creative chefs may even create fusion gaau ji by using elements from other cultures, such as Japanese (teriyaki) or Southeast Asian (satay or curry), while upscale restaurants may use expensive or exotic ingredients such as lobster, shark fin, and bird's nest.

[14] The deep-fried dumplings consist of a seasoned ground pork filling in a thick square wonton wrapper that is typically folded half into rectangles or triangles.

In Shanghai guotie refers to a type of dumping, containing only meat, that looks similar to jiaozi but is specifically prepared to be pan fried only and never cooked any other way.

In the Western world, jianjiao are often referred to as potstickers because the term was introduced to the West by Buwei Yang Chao's book How to Cook and Eat in Chinese (1949 revised enlarged edition), who hailed from southern China.

Gyōza are usually served with soy-based tare sauce seasoned with rice vinegar or chili oil (rāyu in Japanese, làyóu (辣油) in Mandarin Chinese).

The most common recipe is a mixture of minced pork (sometimes chicken or beef), cabbage, Asian chives, sesame oil, garlic or ginger, which is then wrapped in the thinly rolled dough skins.

The most popular preparation method is the pan-fried style called yaki-gyōza (焼き餃子), in which the dumpling is first fried on one flat side, creating a crispy skin.

Store-bought frozen dumplings are often prepared at home by first placing them in a pot of water, bringing it to a boil, and then transferring them to a pan with oil to fry the skin.

[17] Mandu were long part of Korean royal court cuisine, but are now found in supermarkets, restaurants, and snack places such as pojangmacha and bunsikjip throughout South Korea.

[21] To make the jhol achar one of the main ingredients is Nepali hog plum (lapsi), but if it is unavailable, lemon or lime juice can be used.

[16] In the greater Boston area, jiaozi are commonly referred to as Peking Ravioli, due in large part to chef Joyce Chen's influence.