Caiji Steamed Dumplings

Caiji Steamed Dumplings

　　The founder of Caiji Steamed Dumplings was Mr. Cai Shijun from Changtan County, Henan Province. In his early years, Mr. Cai worked as a kitchen helper in the imperial palace in Beijing. After the Xinhai Revolution, Cai Shijun ended up on the streets of Beijing. To support his family, with the help of friends, he opened a small restaurant outside Qianmen in Beijing, serving steamed dumplings and wontons. The business turned out to be quite prosperous. Several years later, Cai Shijun moved with his family to Zhengzhou. In 1919, he reopened his business on West Second Street, resuming his trade under the name “Kyoto Old Caiji Wonton Restaurant.” After Mr. Cai passed away, his son Cai Yongquan took over the business and relocated to Dehua Street in 1949 to continue operations. He not only fully mastered the family’s traditional skills but also insisted on prioritizing quality and offering low prices with high turnover. As a result, Caiji steamed dumplings and wontons became a famous local specialty in Zhengzhou, remaining popular for nearly eighty years.

The making of Caiji steamed dumplings is quite meticulous. After mincing the meat filling, water is added gradually while mixing to ensure the filling becomes elastic. Various seasonings must also be added in precise proportions—none can be omitted. The dumpling wrappers are made from semi-raw, semi-scalded flour, which is repeatedly kneaded to develop gluten and create a chewy texture. The dough is then rolled into thin wrappers, filled, and pleated into willow-leaf shapes, giving the dumplings their signature crescent form. As a result, Caiji steamed dumplings are known for their thin, slightly yellow wrappers with a glossy finish, generous and translucent fillings, elegant appearance, and juicy, oil-drizzling goodness. Thanks to decades of adhering to traditional preparation methods, the quality of these dumplings has earned praise such as “the fragrance lingers even a hundred steps after you leave.” In 1989, when the restaurant sent Zhang Yuzhi and others to participate in the Ministry of Commerce’s Filling Food Competition, they won the “Golden Tripod Award.” In 1997, the dumplings were recognized by the China Cuisine Association as one of the “Famous Chinese Snacks.”