Different types of wanton, dumplings, wrappers - Shanghai wanton huntun recipe

Cooking dumpling soup for the family is fun, easy and economical.

Small dumplings called "wan ton" in Cantonese and "hun dun" in Shanghai and Beijing may look and sound similar these delicious morsels are quite different, each vying for the top spot.

Larger dumplings are called "gow gee" (in Cantonese) or "jiaozi" (Mandarin) with more filling enveloped in slightly larger round shaped wrappers.

The first main difference between the northern and southern dumplings is in the wrappers (skin, crepe). Cantonese wrappers typically contain egg and alkaline (hence appear yellow in colour). Northern Chinese use plain wheat flour wrappers which do not have any strong taste.

Filling for Wanton
Minced pork
Chopped prawns (deshell and devein)
Waterchestnut (alternatively, use yam bean)
Chinese parsley (coriander)
Seasoning : salt, soy sauce, pepper, oyster sauce (reduce the amount of sauces if deep frying to avoid burning easily)

Filling for Huntun
Pork mince
Chopped prawn

"River Door" small white green vegetable (Kong Moon Pak Choy)OR
Long yellow Chinese cabbage

(Vegetables have to be chopped finely, dry fried with garlic and drained)

[ Proportion of pork, prawn and vegetable should be 3 : 1 : 2 ]

Green shallot (chop finely)
Ginger : slice thinly
Egg
Sesame oil
Seasoning : soy sauce, salt, pepper.

Mix the meat and prawn well, then add vegetables and continue stirring. Add the egg and combine well.

* The same huntun filling can be used for wrapping Fuzhou "yanpi" - a dry paper like skin made from flour and minced pork.

Wrapping : there are basically two methods
Put a little filling (should not cover more than 1/5 of the wrapper).
(1) either bundle and press to seal.
(2) or fold, roll and tuck in towards the back.

To Cook

1. Boil good quality chicken stock.

2. Add a few drops of vegetable or sesame oil so that dumplings do not stick.

3. Gently place prepared dumplings into the soup. Once the dumplings float to the top of the soup and turns transluscent, lower the heat and simmer for another 2 minutes. Be sure to cook the meat well.

* Note : Hundun can be panfried but rarely deep fried. This is different from "guotie" or pot stickers which is made from a floured dough with different types of filling.

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