Wonton Skins

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A type of food wrap made from various ingredients that are mixed together to become a fresh dough used to make the skins. The dough, which in most instances is basically an uncooked, wide noodle pasta, is rolled out, flattened and cut into small individual squares, rectangles or circular-shaped sheets to become food wraps or soup ingredients. Also known as Wonton Wrappers, the skins are used for making Chinese dumplings often referred to simply as "Wontons", as well as pot stickers, eggrolls, and soup noodles. Available in Asian markets and other food markets, Wonton Skins used as a wrap securely hold a mixture of ingredients made as a filling placed within the center of the skin which is then sealed, rolled or folded around the filling and cooked.

The weight of the wrap may be catagorized as very (extra) thin which is paper thin, medium thin or thick and are purchased depending on the use. Thin and medium thin Wonton Skins are generally made with flour, eggs and water while thicker skins which are known as Gyoza Wrappers, do not use eggs as part of the ingredients. The traditional types, approximate sizes, and filling capacities for the skins are:

Round Gyoza Skins - 3 to 4 inches in diameter - 1 teaspoon of filling

Round Skins - 3 to 4 inches in diameter - 1 tablespoon of filling

Square Skins - 3 to 4 inches square - 1 tablespoon of filling

Rectangular Skins - 3¼ inches long and 2¾ inches wide - 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling

When purchasing, the Wonton Skins will most often be sold by even weights of 1 (one) pound of skins as follows:

Very Thin or Extra Thin Skins - 100 to 120 per pound

Medium Thin Skins - 70 to 80 per pound

Thick or Gyoza Skins - 40 to 50 per pound

When filling Wonton Skins, round skins will most often hold the largest amount of filling while the square or rectangular skins hold less. Be aware that excess air that is not removed from filled and sealed Wontons, may cause the wrap to puff up and expand more than necessary. To keep the wrapper tightly enclosed around the filling, press out excess air prior to sealing the edges of the wrap. Unstuffed Wonton Skins can be stored in a refrigerator for approximately 1 week or for several months in a freezer. Stuffed skins can also be frozen, but if they are to be fried for prepartion it is not advisable to freeze them. However, stuffed skins that are frozen can be prepared by boiling without thawing and without damaging the skin or contents. Other names for Wonton Skins or Wrappers include: wanton, wun tun, wahn tan, huntun, shao mai, and siu mai.