Wonton is a type of Chinese dumplings. Along with gyoza and shumai, it is a very popular food in Japan.
Wonton’s biggest charm is very smooth and a little chewy texture of the wrappers. It goes super well with soup and ramen.
Actually, the special material called kansui is used to create this texture. By adding this, the unique texture is not lost even if you put it in the soup.
Please check this page for details of Wonton Wrappers.
5 Types of Asian Wrappers and Their Uses
So, making wonton wrappers from scratch is very tough thing, also some of you may not be able to find them at stores.
Here, I would like to introduce the best wonton wrappers substitutes.
1. Shumai (Chinese Steamed Dumplings) Wrappers
Shumai wrappers are made from cake flour, bread flour, salt, and water. Although it doesn’t contain kansui, its taste is not that much different from the wonton wrapper.
The great part about shumai wrappers is its shape: square with 8cm or 9.5cm on a side which is the same as wonton wrappers. Also, the thickness of the skin is almost the same as wonton skin, about 0.5mm thick. (Wonton is about 0.6mm thick.)
Because the shape is exactly the same, the wrapping work should be very easy.
2. Gyoza Wrappers
The raw materials of gyoza wrappers are the same as shumai wrappers.
The shape is different: it has round shape with a diameter of about 7 cm, and its thickness is 0.8mm-1.5mm.
The biggest difference between gyoza and wonton wrappers is its thickness. The smoothness will be a little inferior, but conversely it would be more filling.
In fact, gyoza is also eaten with the soup or hot pot dish sometimes. So, if you are thinking of making wonton soup or ramen, gyoza wrappers can be really good substitute!
3. Spring Roll Wrappers
Unlike shumai and gyoza wrappers, spring roll wrappers are baked during the manufacturing process. The raw materials of them are bread flour, salt, fat and oil.
As you may know, spring rolls are usually made by frying in oil. So, this wrappers are not suitable for soup. That is why, I highly recommend to fry the wonton as well if you are using the spring roll wrappers instead of wonton wrappers.
It’s very easy to cook because you can make it crispy with a little oil.
Also, it’s a fairly large size, so it’s a good idea to divide it into four equal parts.
4. Rice Paper Wrappers
Rice paper wrappers are made from rice flour, tapioca starch, and salt. Summer rolls made by rolling fresh raw vegetables and boiled shrimp are so good, aren’t they?
You can actually use the rice paper just like the spring roll wrappers, and make deep-fried rolls. But, there is much easier way: the rice paper can be used like a wonton in a soup, topping for a soup. (This type of wonton doesn’t contain any filling such as ground pork and minced vegetables.)
Rice paper is usually used after soaking in water in advance. However, if you use it in a soup, just crack by your hands without soaking. And put the cracked rice paper in the soup right before you turn the heat off.
Conclusion
The wrappers for shumai and gyoza are made from slightly different raw materials, but they can be great substitute for wonton wrappers.
Please make sure to fry instead of boiling when you are using spring roll wrappers.
If you have a leftover rice paper at home, why don’t you try the new soup topping made from rice paper!
