{"id":13140,"date":"2017-03-20T13:39:29","date_gmt":"2017-03-20T17:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=13140"},"modified":"2017-03-20T13:39:29","modified_gmt":"2017-03-20T17:39:29","slug":"baozi-vs-jiaozi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/baozi-vs-jiaozi\/","title":{"rendered":"Baozi vs. Jiaozi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Life is full of difficult choices. Tea or coffee, chicken or fish, but most of all, baozi<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(\u5305\u5b50 – b\u0101o zi) or jiaozi <\/em><\/strong>(\u997a\u5b50 – ji\u01ceo zi). Both are cheap, delicious little bundles of joy, so you really can’t go wrong either way. Let’s take a closer look at these two famous Chinese dishes and try to find a winner in the battle of baozi<\/em> vs. jiaozi<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Baozi<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Image by Drew Bates from flickr.com.<\/p><\/div>\n

Translated to English, baozi<\/em> can be called “steamed stuffed buns.” That’s a mouthful, though – why waste the energy saying such a long name? That’s at least three baozi<\/em> you could eat! They’re very popular as a breakfast item, and are readily available in restaurants and from street vendors starting early in the morning. They’re thick and fluffy, stuffed with delicious fillings that range from pork to egg and leek. Some baozi<\/em> are tiny, while others are huge – I’ve seen some the size of a fist. No matter the size, they’re always super affordable, costing just a few kuai<\/em> each. They’re easily eaten on the go, but are best savored with a bit of soy sauce and\/or chili. Baozi<\/em> are almost always steamed – it’s right there in the English name. Now let’s check out the competition.<\/p>\n

Jiaozi<\/h2>\n
\"Baozi<\/a>

A tasty plate of dumplings.<\/p><\/div>\n

Go ahead and call these by their English name, because you definitely know it. Dumplings are quite possibly the quintessential Chinese dish. They’re found not only all over China but the entire world. They’re also one of the most important dishes eaten during the Spring Festival<\/a>, China’s most important holiday. As opposed to baozi<\/em>, jiaozi<\/em> are much more like pasta than bread. They’re much thinner, meaning you can eat substantially more before feeling too full. The common fillings are the same, but you’re more likely to find unique combinations – lamb and carrot, egg and tomato – in jiaozi<\/em> than baozi<\/em>. They’re also cooked in several ways – steamed, boiled, or fried. They’re delicious on their own, but some soy sauce, vinegar, chili and garlic will kick it up a notch. It’s a tough call, so let’s review the pros and cons of each.<\/p>\n

Pros and Cons<\/h2>\n

Baozi<\/em><\/p>\n

Pros:<\/p>\n