Ever wondered "what's a wonton," but didn't dare to ask? We've got you covered!
Wontons (餛飩) are a kind of dumpling that arepopular in China. As with many different types of Chinese cuisine, different provinces in China have different names and different cooking methods for this popular dish. For example, people in Sichuan call wonton “Chao Shou” (抄手) and they serve wonton in a chili oil sauce and white sesame paste without any broth. In some provinces in China, people like to serve wontons in a broth and with some garnish that can include eggs fried crepe-thin then thickly sliced, zicai, (紫菜) and green vegetables.
Are Wontons Hard to Make?
If the thought of making wontons sounds daunting, worry not! The ingredients for this basic wonton recipe can be found in most supermarkets and they come together easily. The hardest part will be...not making this wonton recipe again and again.
Ingredient Tips
- Wonton Wrappers- While most general supermarkets sell wonton wrappers, you will find a greater variety and more options at East Asian and Southeast Asian food markets. Look for wrappers labeled "thin" or "Hong Kong style" for more delicate wontons.
- Rice Wine- If you're making the trip to an Asian market, grab a bottle of rice wine, also called Shaoxing, while you're there. Of all the ingredients, this may be the one that's harder to find at a general supermarket- though many do carry it.
- 30% Fat Pork- For the pork mince, you need to buy pork that contains 30 percent fat for the best results. More would be even better as it will improve the taste and texture of the filling. Mince that contains 20 percent fat or lower will give the filling a harder, drier texture and it won’t taste the same.
- Spring Onions- Also known as scallions, you can find these easily at most supermarkets.
- White Sesame Oil- This lighter color sesame oil has less pronounced flavor than darker, toasted sesame oils. If you can't find white, look for "light" or "blended" sesame oil.
Deveining Shrimp
Sometimes when you buy raw shrimp you will notice a thin, black string down its back. Although removing that string is called deveining, it is actually not a vein (in the circulatory sense.) It is the shrimp's digestive tract, and its dark color means it is filled with grit. It is fairly easy to devein them: use a sharp paring knife to make a slit along the back and lift out the vein with the tip of the knife.
Make Ahead
Delicious eaten fresh, wontons can also be made in advance. They're a great option for meal-planning and preparing lots of food ahead of dinner parties or festive gatherings. They even freeze well!
Related
"This approachable recipe makes it easy for anyone to make a warm bowl of wontons for a fun date night or cozy weeknight dinner." —Lauryn Bodden
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A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
10 ounces (280 grams) shrimp, peeled anddeveined, divided
3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) ground pork
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped ginger
3 medium spring onions, finely chopped
60 wonton wrappers (3 x 3 inches)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Seasonings:
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoonslight soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, or blended sesame oil
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Process half of the shrimp and all of the pork, 2 tablespoons ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice wine, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon white sesame oil in a food processor.
Roughly chop the remaining shrimp and transfer to a medium bowl. Add 3 chopped spring onions and the mixture from the processor to the bowl. Fold together to combine.
Put 1 teaspoon of filling onto the center of the wonton wrapper and use your fingers to gently close the wrapper tightly, creating a bundle shape. You can brush a little bit of water onto the edges to help the wrappers seal and stay closed. Sprinkle a thin layer of flour on a large plate. Place the wontons on the plate as you finish forming them.
Bring a pot of water (or broth) to a boil. Drop in the wontons in batches and cook until they float to the top, about 5 minutes.
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Feeling Adventurous? Try This:
- You can boil the wontons and serve them in hot broth for wonton soup. Add leafy greens, such as baby bok choy, or other vegetables for a heartier soup.
- Add boiled wontons to a noodle soup.
- You can deep-fry these wontons if you like. Serve them with some sweet chili sauce, ketchup or light soy sauce. Deep-fried wontons make a great snack.
- Serve the boiled wontons bathed in red chili oil, sweet soy sauce and a splash of vinegar.
How to Store and Freeze
- Before cooking- The wontons can be stored prior to cooking. Keep them covered in the refrigerator overnight to cook the next day.
- In the fridge- Leftover cooked wontons can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make sure the wontons aren't touching, as the skins could stick together and tear. You can reheat them in the microwave for about 45 seconds (add a little water to the container and cover loosely), or steam them on the stovetop for about 5 minutes, just to heat through since they are already cooked.
- In the freezer- They also freeze wonderfully. Lay the uncooked wontons out on a baking sheet so they aren't touching and place in the freezer for a few hours, or until frozen through. Transfer frozen wontons to freezer bags or containers and use within three months. There's no need to thaw frozen wontons; simply cook according to the recipe.
How to Make Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge)
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 154 | Calories |
| 4g | Fat |
| 18g | Carbs |
| 10g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 20 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 154 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 4g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 6% |
| Cholesterol 52mg | 17% |
| Sodium 687mg | 30% |
| Total Carbohydrate 18g | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 3% |
| Total Sugars 1g | |
| Protein 10g | |
| Vitamin C 1mg | 6% |
| Calcium 36mg | 3% |
| Iron 1mg | 7% |
| Potassium 134mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Recipe Tags:
- pork
- dinner
- chinese
- family dinner
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