Wrapper Basics

• Shape aside, the dough that gyoza wrappers and egg roll wrappers are made from looks very similar. However, the small difference between the two helps to give eggs rolls and gyoza their distinct taste. Egg rolls wrappers are the thicker of the two, and when they are fried, they bubble slightly to create a crunchy exterior. The thinner gyoza wrappers can be fried or steamed, and, while they do crisp up, they are not nearly as crunchy as egg roll wrappers when cooked. You can find both egg roll wrappers and gyoza wrappers at Asian food and specialty stores.

Making Gyoza

• The gyoza wrapper can be made using either white or whole wheat flour. To shape a gyoza, fill the gyoza wrapper with a scant spoonful of filling, fold it over into a half moon shape and seal the gyoza using water and the folded-over edges to form a scalloped border. Gyoza fillings commonly are meat-heavy, often with pork and napa cabbage as the bulk of the ingredients. Eaten as a side dish when fried, steamed gyoza find their way into hot pot dishes and soups.

Making Egg Rolls

• Sold both fresh and frozen, egg roll wrappers range in size up to 9 inches across. To create egg rolls, add several spoonfuls of filling to each sheet and roll the egg roll up, turning the outer edges inward first as if you are rolling a burrito. Seal egg rolls with cornstarch and water to prevent unwrapping. Deep-fry egg rolls to finish them, and serve them with a dipping sauce.

Wrapper Substitutions

• While there are substitutions for each, because of their different size, texture and thickness, gyoza and egg roll wrappers cannot be used interchangeably. In place of egg roll wrappers, use rice paper or phyllo dough to obtain the same crunch in your finished product. For gyoza, use potsticker wrappers or wonton wrappers, which are both thicker than gyoza wrappers but produce similar results. You can substitute egg roll wrappers for gyoza wrappers, but they need to be trimmed significantly and end up having a different texture than gyoza rappers.