Chaoshou facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Suanla chaoshou

Type	Dumpling
Place of origin	China
Region or state	Sichuan
Main ingredients	Dough, meat, spicy sauce

Suanla chaoshou is a tasty dish from Sichuan cuisine in China. It features boiled dumplings filled with meat, covered in a special spicy and sour sauce. The name Suanla means "hot and sour," and chaoshou is what these big wonton-like dumplings are called in the Sichuan province.

What's in the Name?

The name Chao shou actually means "folded hands." In the local language of Sichuan, this name describes how the dumplings are shaped. They are made from a square wrapper folded into two points, with one point crossed over the other.

It's said that in Sichuan, you can simply cross your arms in a restaurant, and people will know you want chaoshou! Some people think the name might have come from a different order of words, like "shou chao," which would mean "hand-folded."

Suanla Chaoshou in America

You can find different versions of this dish in many Chinese restaurants in the United States. Often, the English menu might call it "Won Ton with Spice Sauce" or something similar.

In Cambridge, Massachusetts, there's a restaurant called Mary Chung's that serves a popular dish called Suan La Chow Show. This version has dumplings in a spicy soy and ginger sauce, served on top of fresh mung bean sprouts. It's a bit different from how the dish is made in Sichuan, which often uses more black vinegar to make it even more sour.

Mary Chung's version of Suan La Chow Show became very popular locally. It was even shown on a TV food show called The Hungry Detective.

See also

In Spanish: Suanla chaoshou para niños