CAN I MAKE THE WONTONS AHEAD?
Yes! Once you are done making the wontons, lay them on a baking sheet (or large plates) and place them in your freezer. After a few hours, once the wontons have hardened, transfer the wontons to a bag. When you leave the dumplings on the baking sheet overnight (or for several days), you might find the dumplings stuck to the baking sheet. I can usually pull the dumplings off the pan with a little effort. However, you can also line your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent any sticking. DO NOT put them in the refrigerator. The moisture of the tofu filling will seep into the wrapper, causing it to turn soggy. As a result, the dumplings will be misshapen and start to rip apart.
CAN I MAKE RED CURRY WONTON SOUP AHEAD?
Yes, you can make the broth a day or two ahead. As a matter of fact, the flavors of the broth develop more overnight. Just bring the broth to boil before serving.
WHY DO MY WONTONS FALL APART?
I get this question from my followers all the time. Here are several tips to prevent your dumplings from coming apart when you boil them.
Make sure you properly seal the dumplings: When you seal the dumpling wrapper/skin to seal the dumpling, make sure to push out any air pockets. Also, make sure to seal the dumping tightly—you shouldn’t see any gaps or openings in the dumpling.Don’t overfill the dumplings: I know that we all love a plump dumpling, but overfilling the dumplings can cause small tears in the dumpling skin. This is particularly a problem if your dumpling skin is a bit thin. Use somewhere between 2 teaspoons to 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in your dumplings and see how much the skins can hold without ripping. Some dumpling are more forgiving than others.Don’t overcook the dumplings: Overcooking dumplings can also cause the dumplings to fall apart. For vegetarian dumplings, I usually cook them for about 3 to 4 minutes; for meat dumplings, 4 to 5 minutes. The dumplings are usually cooked when they float to the top.
WONTON FOLDING TECHNIQUE
A FEW NOTES ABOUT MAKING THE WONTONS
The image above is from my Tofu Wontons with Yellow Curry Broth recipe. Give it a try if you are looking for variations!Wrappers: I typically buy my wrappers from Asian supermarkets because it is much more convenient than making my own. The brands I use are New Hong Kong Noodle Co. and Wyzen Foods, both of which are based in the Bay Area. If you are shopping in a typical grocery store, you’d probably find Nasoya wrappers.Folding dumplings: For those of you who need visuals, here is the folding technique for the wontons. I also made a video of the folding, which you can watch here.
LOOKING FOR MORE DUMPLING RECIPES?
Tofu Wontons with Yellow Curry BrothChicken PotstickersRed Curry Tofu Dumplings (with braided pleat)You can also visit my complete dumpling archives here.
