Looking for a fun rainy-day activity? Want to get your kids interested in cooking? Why not make dumplings using store-bought wonton wrappers?
How to use wonton wrappers
• Find wonton wrappers and gyoza wrappers in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. They are usually with the fresh noodles or Asian vegetables.
• Wonton wrappers come as thin sheets that are easily separated. They may be circles or squares.
• To fill a folded wonton wrapper, put one teaspoon of filling into the centre of the wrapper, then fold it in half.
• For a full-sized, large dumpling, place one tablespoon of filling in the centre of the wonton wrapper, then top with a second wrapper. Full-sized dumplings are much easier to make.
• Seal the wonton wrappers together by dipping a finger in water and moistening the edge of the wrapper. The moistened edges of the wrapper will stick together.
• Making stuffed dumplings is easy. My children started filling wonton wrappers when they were two years old! However, I had to double check that they were sealed properly when they were young. A wrapper that is not fully sealed will lose its filling while it is being cooked.
Here are two recipes that show how diverse and useful dumpling wrappers can be.
Panfried Dumplings
This simple, pan-fried dumpling is fun to make with little kids. If your kids aren’t fans of strong flavours, feel free to skip the ginger and garlic.
Filling
115 g firm tofu (about 1⁄4 of an average sized block)
1⁄2 cup of grated cabbage
1 medium-sized carrot
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1⁄2 red pepper
3 small mushrooms (about 1⁄4 cup diced)
2 spring onions
1 tsp finely grated ginger
2 garlic cloves
1 egg
Dipping Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1. Finely grate the tofu, cabbage and carrot into a medium-sized bowl. Combine with 1 Tbsp soy sauce and 2 tsp sesame oil. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the filling.
2. Finely chop the red pepper, mushroom and spring onions. Finely grate ginger and garlic.
3. Mix all the filling ingredients together, including the tofu marinade and egg. It will be quite moist.
4. Place 1 Tbsp of mixture into the centre of a wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper, then gather it up into a small purse shape. Twist the top to make sure that the sides all hold together. The dumplings can be frozen on a baking sheet at this point.
5. Combine the dipping sauce ingredients in small a bowl.
6. The dumplings can be cooked fresh or frozen. Heat 1 Tbsp of cooking oil in the bottom of a non-stick frying pan. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer along the bottom of the pan. Cook until the bottoms are just starting to brown (about 2 minutes). Pour a 1⁄2 cup of water into the pan and put on a lid. Cook for 8 more minutes.
7. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli
Homemade ravioli is so much tastier than store-bought because the filling doesn’t have any breadcrumbs. The first time I made ravioli, it was with a group of three-year-olds. I was quite concerned about the noodles breaking open during the boiling, but none of them did!
3⁄4 cup of cooked spinach (or frozen)
3⁄4 cup ricotta cheese
1 package of wonton wrappers
Olive oil
Pasta sauce of your choice
1. Wring all the water out of the spinach. It’s important for it to be dry. Mix the spinach with ricotta cheese.
2. Put 1 Tbsp of filling in the centre of the dumpling wrapper. Wet around the outside of the wrapper with your finger, then seal a second wonton wrapper on top of the first. Set the pasta aside until you are ready to cook.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a small batch of pasta (about 8–10). You don’t want to crowd the pasta, or it might stick together. The pasta is finished cooking when it floats (about 2 to 3 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to pull out the cooked pasta. Place it in a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep the pasta warm in a 200°F oven until all the pasta is cooked.
4. Serve right away with your favourite pasta sauce.
