The pan-fried variety of the Chinese jiaozi dumpling, known as guotie, is a Northern Chinese dumpling typically filled with minced pork, Chinese cabbage, scallions, ginger, rice wine, and sesame seed oil. Crunchy and soft textures are achieved by a special method of preparing; while the bottom of the dumpling is frying, a small amount of liquid is added to the pan which is then covered, thus allowing the rest of the dumpling and the filling to steam.
When it comes to the shape, guotie should always be long and straight as it can stand more easily and it does not fall over during cooking. Goutie can be literally translated as pot sticks, so these dumplings are often nicknamed potstickers, especially in North America.
MOST ICONIC Guotie
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Hamamatsu is a popular variety of Japanese gyoza filled with cabbage, onions, pork, and selected seasonings. It is characterized by a unique frying style in which cooks arrange gyoza in a circular pattern (hanetsuke, a technique in which a crispy bottom connects all the gyozas) so that they can fry as many snacks as possible at the same time.
It is very popular to pair Hamamatsu gyoza with a topping of bean sprouts.
MOST ICONIC Hamamatsu gyoza
One of the most famous snacks in Indonesia is batagor, a fried fish dumpling served in a traditional spicy sauce. It has roots in the Chinese culinary tradition, which has left a trace on many Indonesian dishes. Although this famous snack is reminiscent of the more famous Chinese dumpling, its distinguishable characteristic is that it is fried, not steamed.
The most common fish used to make the dish is wahoo, but tuna, mackerel, and even prawns can also be used. Potatoes, tofu, or cabbage are also occasionally added to the dish. Batagor is the perfect snack because of the way it is served. When fried, the dumplings are cut into small bite-sized pieces and covered in peanut, soy, and chili sauce with a splash of lime juice.
MOST ICONIC Batagor
View moreThe famous Japanese gyoza are crescent-shaped dumplings that have originated from the traditional Chinese jiaozi dumplings. The recipe was slightly altered to accommodate the Japanese taste, and gyoza soon became one of the favorite Japanese meals.
They consist of a thin wrapper made with wheat flour, eggs, and water, which is then stuffed with a mixture of meat and vegetables. The ingredients used in the stuffing are regionally influenced, but most commonly include minced pork or chicken, cabbage, chives, a substantial amount of garlic, ginger, and green onions.
VARIATIONS OF Gyoza
MOST ICONIC Gyoza
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Sfiha, or lahm bil ajĩn (lit. meat on dough) is an Arabic specialty that dates back to the 15th century, when it first appeared in today's Eastern Lebanon. The traditional open-faced meat pie is popular throughout the Arab region, its main ingredients usually including minced lamb (or lamb), chopped onions and tomatoes, spices, olive oil, and yogurt.
Originally, the dish was prepared by stuffing ground lamb and spices in brined grape leaves, but it evolved over time. Sfiha is also popular in Brazil and Argentina, where it was brought over by Levantine immigrants. It is usually consumed hot as a snack, accompanied by tahini sauce or a bowl of yogurt, while pomegranate seeds, coriander, or chopped cucumbers are often used as garnishes.
VARIATIONS OF Sfiha
MOST ICONIC Sfiha
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Roti canai is a traditional pan-fried flatbread made with flour, water, eggs, and fat of Indian origin, but mainly associated with Malaysia, and surrounding countries like Indonesia, Brunei, and Thailand. The dough for roti canai is repeatedly folded, so the final product has a layered texture, a soft interior, and a crispy outer layer.
The most common fat used in roti canai is ghee, the traditional Indian clarified butter. It is believed that the dish originated in India when the Indian laborers who migrated to Malaysia brought the recipe and the tradition of preparing this crispy pastry to the foreign country.
VARIATIONS OF Roti canai
MOST ICONIC Roti canai
View moreKaripap or curry puff is a small, deep-fried or baked pastry shell filled with thick chicken and potatoes curry. It is believed that the flavorful snack was invented by the Malays from the Malay Peninsula and parts of Sumatra and Borneo.
It is a popular breakfast item or an afternoon snack which can be found at numerous stores, bars, and markets. Because of its simplicity and flavor, karipap quickly became popular outside Malaysia, especially in Thailand and Singapore. Today there are numerous versions of karipap, so instead of potato and chicken curry, it can be filled with various other ingredients such as tuna, sardines, and beef rendang.
MOST ICONIC Karipap
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Fried bananas or plantains are a common everyday snack eaten throughout Indonesia. They come in numerous versions in which the fruit is simply fried in shallow oil, but more often sliced banana pieces are coated in batter before they are fried until golden.
Besides numerous other varieties, fried bananas also appear under different names such as godoh biu on Bali or gedhang gorèng on Java. They are traditionally sold at street stalls and carts and belong to a group of gorengan dishes—Indonesian deep-fried snacks.
MOST ICONIC Pisang goreng
Ajitsuke tamago is a traditional dish consisting of soft-boiled eggs that have been soaked in mirin and soy sauce. The egg yolks should be custardy if properly prepared, and the eggs are eaten as a snack, a part of bento, or more commonly, enjoyed as a ramen topping.
The eggs are boiled for a few minutes so that the yolk remains runny, and they are then chilled and soaked (overnight or for a few days) in a combination of water, mirin, and soy sauce. This is the basic preparation, and some cooks might add their own secret ingredients to the marinade to make the eggs more flavorful.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Cantık pidesi is a traditional flatbread from Bursa. The dough for cantık pidesi is similar to other pide doughs, made from flour, water, yeast, and salt, but what sets it apart is the filling and the method of preparation.
The traditional filling for Bursa cantık pidesi includes minced meat (often beef or lamb), onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and spices such as paprika and black pepper. This mixture is spread onto the rolled-out dough, which is then folded over to encase the filling, sometimes in a half-moon shape or other times leaving a portion of the filling exposed.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Asian Snacks” list until April 15, 2025, 21,514 ratings were recorded, of which 13,445 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.