Pancakes = Bing (Chinese)

The pancakes of Asia are quite different from their counterparts in the West. For a start, they are almost always made from plain dough, rather than a batter, and they are more often than not served with savory fillings rather than sweet.

There are two types of pancakes in China, either thin or thick. Thin pancakes (bobing) are also known as mandarin or duck pancakes, because they are used as wrappers for serving the famous Peking duck. They are also served with other savory dishes, most notably, the very popular mu-shu or moo-soo pork, which consists of scrambled egg with pork and wood ears (dried black fungus). Making pancakes demands considerable dexterity, so many cooks prefer to buy them frozen from the Chinese supermarket.

Thick pancakes are made with lard and flavored with savory ingredients such as spring onions and rock salt. In northern China, they are eaten as a snack, or as part of a main meal, rather like the Indian paratha. Both thin and thick pancakes are sometime served as a dessert, with a filling of sweetened bean paste.

Nyonya spring roll pancakes

These are the exception to the rule that most pancakes in the East are made from dough. Typical of the Singaporean style of cooking know as Nonya, they are made from an egg, flour and cornflour batter and are traditionally served with a wide selection of fillings.

Spring Roll Wrappers = chunjuan pi (Mandarin) = shuen guen pie (Cantonese)

Spring rolls are called egg rolls in the USA, and pancake roils in many other parts of the world. They must be one of the most popular Chinese snacks everywhere, including China itself. While the fillings may vary from region to region, or even between different restaurants and fast food stalls, the wrappers are always more or less the same. They are made from a simple flour and water dough, except in Vietnam, where wrappers are made from rice flour, water and salt.

There are three different sizes of ready-make spring roll wrappers available from the freezers of Asian stores: small, medium and large. They are all wafer-thin. The smallest wrappers, which are about 12 cm square, are used for making dainty, cocktail-style rolls. The standard-size wrappers measure 22cm square, and usually come in packets of 20 sheets. The largest, 30cm square, are too big for general use, so they are usually cut in half or into strips for making samosas and similar snacks.

Wonton wrappers = wonton skins = huntun pi (Mandarin) = wanton pie (Cantonese)

Wonton skins or wrappers are made from a flour and egg dough,. which is rolled out to a smooth, flat thin sheet, as when making egg noodles. The sheet is usually cut into small squares, although round wonton wrappers are also available . Ready-made wonton skins are stacked in piles of 25 or 50, wrapped and sold fresh or frozen in Asian or Chinese stores.

Unlike spring roll wrappers, which have to be carefully peeled off sheet by sheet before use, fresh wonton skins are dusted with flour before being packed. This keeps each one separate from the others and so they are very easy to use. Frozen wrappers must, however be thawed thoroughly before use, or they will tend to stick together. Any unused skins can be re-frozen, but should be carefully wrapped in foil so that they do not dry out in the freezer.

There are several ways of using wonton skins. The thin ones work best in soups, while the thicker ones are best for frying. They can be deep-fried and served with a dip, filled and boiled, steamed or deep-fried, or simply poached in a clear broth. On most Chinese restaurant menus in the West, this last option is listed under soup, which is misleading, as in China and South-east Asia, Wonton soup is always served solo as a snack, never as a separate soup course as part of a meal.

Rice papers = banh trang wrappers

These Vietnamese rice paper are thin, fragile sheets which used to make spring rolls, but they also make good all-purpose wrappers, baking pan liners, and even lasagna noodles. Made from rice flour, water and salt, it is a round, tissue-thin "crepe", dried on bamboo mats in the sun, which results in the familiar crosshatch pattern being embedded on each sheet.

Rise paper is used for wrapping Vietnamese spring rolls and small pieces of meat and fish to be eaten in the hand. The sheets are rather dry and brittle, so must be softened by soaking in warm water for a few seconds before use. Alternatively, they can be placed on damp dish towels and brushed with water until they are sufficiently pliable to be used. Spring rolls are usually deep fried, but this is not always the case, Vietnamese cooks also make a fresh version. Cooked pork, prawns, bean sprouts and vermicelli are wrapped in rice paper, which has been dipped in cold water until it is pliable and transparent. The filing can clearly be seen through the wrappers, and the rolls look very pretty. Look for it in Asian markets. It can be stored in a cool, dark place for many months.

Dumpling wrappers = dumpling skin = siu mai skins

These thin round wrappers are used to make the delicate dumplings that are so popular at dim sum restaurants. They're made to be stuffed and steamed, but they're not sturdy enough to be fried. While assembling the dumplings, keep the stack of wrappers moist by covering them with a damp towel. You can seal the dumplings with a "glue" made with cornstarch and water. Look for fresh or frozen wrappers in Asian markets. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer, but let them come to room temperature before using.

Gyoza wrappers = gyoza skins

The Japanese use these round wrappers to make pork-stuffed dumplings similar to Chinese potstickers.