May 14 # 16 of 22
Let us know when you're ready, and I'll walk you through the folding step by step.
May 14 # 17 of 22
Whether you are preparing crab rangoons, potstickers or wontons, wrapping them easily can be a little intimidating. Consider the following as a way to wrap like a professional.
Working with prepared, packaged wonton skins or wraps is the easiest way to get started. They can be purchased in most grocery stores.
Place the wonton wrap on a flat working surface. You can work with one at a time or create an assembly line. Either way is fine. Keep wrappers that are not being used in an air tight package since they dry out quickly.
Place a small dollop of the desired filling onto the center of the wrapper. Be careful not to over fill it to prevent them from bursting when they are frying.
Spread the filling out to the size of a quarter. Use your finger or small pastry brush to moisten the edges of the wrapper with water or egg wash. This will act as the glue to keep the wonton wrap held together when folding.
Once the edges have been moistened, fold the wrapper in half to create a rectangular shape.
Press around the outer edges to make sure that the wonton has sealed. It is also important to press out any air that might be trapped around the filling. Too much air inside the wrapper will result in the wonton puffing up and breaking open when frying.
Moisten the sides again with water and fold the wrapper in half one more time so the wrapper is a quarter of the size that it was originally.
Press the sides down for a tight seal.
The wrapper will now have a creased side along the long edge and an open side. Turn the wrapper so that the open edge is pointed up. Take the right side of the wrapper and fold it down over the right edge of the filling. There should be four layers on the right hand folded side of the wrapper. Grasp the top layer and pull it up so that it sticks out slightly.
Fold the left side of the wrapper down as you did to the right side but this time overlap the right side a little. Moisten in-between these two layers and press to seal. Grasp the top layer on the right hand side and pull it up so that it sticks out.
The end result should look somewhat like a nurse's hat. The wonton is now ready to boil, steam, or fry.
Tip: As the wontons are being prepared, keep those that are finished under a slightly damp towel so that they don't dry out.
Posted By: The Ironic Chef
May 14 # 18 of 22
I just place about a teaspoon of filling onto the center of my wrapper. Moisten the edge all the way around. Fold into a triangle pushing out the air and sealing the edges.
I then take 2 connecting edge ends of the triangle, moisten the ends and pull them together and pinch them to seal.
The possibilities of folding wontons are numerous. If the wontons have a good filling and they are sealed, they are good to go. I think the stock that they are cooked in is what makes them delicious.
For my filling
1 chicken breast half ground to a paste
1 tablespoon of corn starch
2 minced scallions
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground ginger
1 mashed and minced garlic clove
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
a splash of sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste.
1 egg white whipped to stiff peak stage.
I mix all the ingredients together and then fold the egg white in just before I am ready to fill the wrappers.
For my broth I like to use my favorite chicken soup stock. I usually use about 6 cups. Wonton soup freezes very well.
I make a simple soup to cook the wontons in by adding some fresh garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil to the soup stock. I do this to taste. Be careful with the amount of sesame oil because it has a very strong flavor.
After the wontons are cooked and before I serve it I add in some chopped scallions and some lettuce or nappa cabbage thinly sliced. I like the broth so with the scallions and such I only use a small amount so that they are more of a garnish. The same goes if I want to add some thinly sliced pork.
With the addition of vinegar and some hot pepper flakes and some tasting, the basic wonton soup can take a hot and sour direction. I'm not a big fan of tofu but cut some into fine strips and I like it in hot and sour soup.
I grow Swiss chard and enjoy it also in soups like this. The trick though is to add it towards the end of cooking and to just wilt it with the heat of the soup. The multi colored Swiss chard is also pleasing to the eye in a soup.
May 14 # 19 of 22
If those are typical instructions, Mama, I can see why people find the process intimidating.
I've been making won tons, pot stickers, goyoza, and egg rolls for more years than I care to remember (starting, btw, with the instructions I was given by a Chinese chef), and I don't begin to understand your directions. Basically, you lost me after folding in half to make a rectangle. And, fwiw, I don't know anyone, pro or home cook, who starts out by making a rectangle.
Trust me, Cathy, the process is a lot simpler than that. When you're ready, give a yell.
May 14 # 20 of 22
yup love making deep fried burritos really good if there homemade too