馬上就到大年三十啦，你家有吃餃子的習俗嗎？過年吃餃子是中國北方延續(xù)已久的傳統(tǒng)年俗。

關(guān)于餃子的起源傳說眾多，其中一種說法是餃子源于東漢時期，為醫(yī)圣張仲景首創(chuàng)。當時餃子是藥用，張仲景用面皮包上一些祛寒的藥材用來治?。ㄑ蛉狻⒑返龋?，避免病人耳朵上生凍瘡。

Zhang noticed that many people's ears were frostbitten when he returned to his hometown one winter. He decided to wrap mutton, chilli and some warming medicinal herbs in dough skin. Folding them into the shape of an ear, he boiled them in water before giving them to the poor.
有一年冬天，張仲景回鄉(xiāng)時發(fā)現(xiàn)很多人的耳朵都凍傷了。他決定用面皮包上羊肉、胡椒和一些溫補的草藥，把它們折成耳朵的形狀，在水里煮熟，然后送給窮人。

This food was originally called "Jiao'er" for its shape, and later the name slowly became Jiaozi.
最初因其形似耳朵而被稱為“嬌耳”，后來慢慢變成了餃子。

如今，餃子已經(jīng)成為北方人餐桌上必不可少的美食，是家和溫暖的象征。餃子形如元寶，新春佳節(jié)吃餃子，寓意著“招財進寶”。不同餡料的餃子有不同的含義，寄托了人們對新一年的美好期盼。

Celery stuffing represents industriousness and (resulting) wealth. 芹菜(Celery) sounds like 'industrious wealth' (勤財). Leek stuffing represents long-term wealth. 'Leek' (韭菜) sounds like 'industrious wealth' (久財).
芹菜餡代表著勤勞和財富，因為芹菜聽起來像“勤財”。韭菜餡代表富貴永久，因為韭菜
聽起來像“久財”。

Cabbage stuffing represents the blessing for a well-off life for a hundred years. 白菜(Cabbage) sounds like 'hundred wealth' (百財).
白菜餡代表了生活幸福長久的祝福。白菜聽起來像“百財”。

Fish stuffing means surplus wealth. Reason: 'Fish' (魚) sounds the same as 'surplus' (余). Eating fish dumplings means wishing you have a lot of remaining money.
魚肉餡的餃子意味著財富盈余。因為魚與“余”同音。吃魚肉餃子意味著財富多多的祝福。

其實，不僅中國有餃子，其他國家也有類似的傳統(tǒng)食物，比如，西班牙的烤餃子（empanada）、印度的咖喱角（samosa）、意大利的團子（gnocchi）等。下面一起來探訪世界各地的“餃子”們。

西班牙：Empanada

Empanada is Spanish for "wrapped in bread," a fitting name for this fried Argentinian dumpling. Bite through the flakey crust and you'll commonly find a filling of ground beef, hard boiled eggs, olives, onions, paprika, and cumin. But they also come in plenty of other varieties.
Empanada在西班牙語中是“包裹在面包里”的意思，這個名字對這種油炸餃子來說非常形象。咬開松軟的外皮，你會發(fā)現(xiàn)里面包裹著碎牛肉、水煮蛋、橄欖、洋蔥、辣椒粉和小茴香等餡料。但也有很多其他種類的Empanada。