Tianjin Wontons

Tianjin Wontons

　　Tianjin Thin Foods — Wontons

　　When it comes to wontons, that’s what they’re called in the north. In Sichuan, they’re known as “chāoshǒu,” and in Guangdong, “yúntūn.” Tianjin-style wontons are made with a filling of minced pork wrapped in thin dough wrappers, then boiled. The bowl is topped with dried small shrimps, preserved winter vegetables, or a combination of dried shrimps and seaweed, all doused in steaming hot bone broth. A sprinkle of chopped coriander adds an exceptionally fragrant aroma. Tianjin wontons come in two main varieties: Han Chinese-style and Halal-style. The Han Chinese versions include regular wontons, large-filling wontons, and those inspired by the Cantonese “yúntūn.” The Hui Muslim community doesn’t call them wontons but rather “língjiǎo tāng” (water caltrop soup), with fillings made from either beef or lamb. There’s also a unique vegetarian variety made with a savory filling consisting of shredded starch skin, dried tofu, fried wheat gluten, soaked shiitake mushrooms, sliced bamboo shoots, mung bean sprouts, and coriander. This mixture is wrapped in dough shaped like ingots, offering a clean, fresh, delicious taste that’s fragrant without being greasy — a truly distinctive flavor. During the cold winter months, clay pot wontons (or clay pot yúntūn) are especially popular for their rich, aromatic, hot, and comforting appeal.