RCP: Chinese Wontons 4: The Flower Fold

This folding technique produces four single-layer petals of wonton skin with the filling in the center. It is the best shape for fried wontons, since it maximizes the single-layer surface area and browns the fastest when fried. Conversely, with boiled, steamed, or soup wontons, you run the risk of all that surface going mushy before the filling is completely cooked.

The flower fold looks to be the most complicated at first, until you realize that the first fold is exactly halfway between the leaf fold and the nun's cap fold. For the leaf fold, you fold corner-to-corner. For the nun's cap, you fold edge-to-edge. For the flower, you place one corner midway along the opposite edge.

As for all wonton folds you start by placing the square of wonton skin on a flat surface (such as a small dish) and putting a round 1/2 teaspoon dollop of filling in the center, perhaps a bit below center towards the A-B-C line:

wonton_folding_1.jpg

Now moisten your index finger with cold water and trace a streak above the filling, along the arc G-H-I in the diagram.

For first fold of the flower shape, bring point A to point D, so that it forms a right triangle centered along the E-F line. You will end up with a shape that looks like this:

wonton_flower.jpg

Press firmly around the top of the filling (around the moistened arc you made before folding) to seal in the filling, eliminating as much air as possible. Turn the wonton so that the two right-angle points formed by the fold are at the top, and the long edge is at the bottom.

For the second fold, you want to bring the A-B edge up over the filling to the C-D line. The diagram isn't quite right--the A-B edge will intersect point E if you've done it correctly. The resulting shape looks like this:

wonton_flower2.jpg

Place a dab of cold water at point C. You are now ready for the third and final fold: bring points A and B together, pressing firmly so that the moisture at point C seals the edges together to prevent the wonton from unfolding during the cooking process.

Your wonton is now ready for cooking. Placing the finished wontons under a moist towel helps keep them from drying out as you fold them.

-Paul W.