There seems to be a definite blurring of lines when it comes to dim sum, dumplings, wontons etc with all the terms being used interchangeably. The classic wonton is in fact a steamed dumpling that is said to have originated in the south of China. The name is a derivative of the Cantonese term (Yun Tun) “swallowing clouds”, which refers to how wontons look, especially when floating in broth, which is the traditional way to serve them Wontons are filled with a filling of minced chicken, pork, shellfish or vegetables, carefully folded and then lightly steamed. Fried wontons are a westernised version that are not often seen in traditional Asian cuisine. To become a wonton folding pro check out our handy steps below and then try our recipe for wonton soup inspired by the book The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan.

1. Place half a teaspoon of your choice of filling onto the wonton skin making sure that its roughly 15 mm away from the bottom corner.

2. Roll the wonton up about two-thirds of the length leaving part of the top corner showing.

3. Flatten the skin around the filling to form a parcel and wet one of the side corners with a dab of water.

4. Fold the side corners inwards diagonally with the wet corner passing over the dry corner to form a criss-cross shape. Press the side corners tightly together.

5. To serve the traditional way steam your wontons and serve in a meaty broth (recipe below), or for a more modern version you can deep or shallow fry your wontons and serve with a spicy dipping sauce.

Feeling inspired? Try this delish dumpling recipe inspired by the book, The Joy Luck Club. Click for the recipe.