Almost everyone in the world are familiar with wontons. Wontons are a type of dumpling that is commonly filled with pork or shrimp. Compared to other dumplings, wonton wrappers are thinner and smoother. Wontons are extremely versatile in ways which they are cooked and served. Once the wontons have been wrapped, they can be boiled, fried, steamed, or easily frozen for future meals. They are usually enjoyed soaking in a special sauce or used as toppings for a bowl of delicious noodle soup. These small pouches of flavor are enjoyed by many. In my family, making wontons was always a great way to bring our family together. Folding wontons never fails to gather us around the dinner table and invite conversation. I hope this recipe brings you and your loved ones closer together like it did to me.
Cook Time: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
INGREDIENTS
1lb raw shrimp, peeled and minced
2lb ground pork
1½ cups shiitake mushroom, chopped
4 stalks green onions, chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 tbsp garlic, grated
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp chicken bouillon
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp white pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1½ oyster sauce
½ tbsp sesame oil
Wonton wrappers. Will likely need ~100 wrappers total for this recipe. I like using thin wonton wrappers. Click here to see which ones I use.
RECIPE
Wonton Filling
In a large mixing bowl, fold the ground pork, minced shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, ginger, garlic and cilantro together.
Add cornstarch, chicken bouillon, garlic powder, white pepper, salt, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil to the bowl. Mix until seasoning is evenly distributed.
I recommend microwaving a spoonful of the filling for 45 seconds in order to sample it. Adjust seasoning accordingly.
Wonton Wrapping
The wonton wrappers you buy at the store are usually frozen. Let the wrappers fully thaw at room temperature. When the wrappers are completely thawed, they should be pliable and ready for wrapping!
Place about a tablespoon of filling toward a corner of the wonton wrapper.
Fold the corner of the wonton wrapper up over the filling.
The filling should be encased in the wonton wrapper now.
Continue rolling the filling upward in the wonton wrapper until a small corner remains. This is seen in step 5 in the image above.
Fold both sides of the wonton wrapper forward and pinch them together. This will seal the filling in the wonton wrapper. If you are having a hard time getting the wrapper to stick together, you can lightly dampen the sides with water, making it more adhesive. I personally do this by dipping my finger in water and painting moisture onto the areas I wish to seal.
Wonton Cooking
Boil a large pot of water.
Add the uncooked wrapped wontons into the boiling water. Allow the wontons to cook until they float to the top.
Once they float to the top, remove them using a straining spoon. They are now ready to eat!
How to store/freeze wontons
Wontons are usually made in large batches so there is always an excess of wontons. Here is how I store my wontons.
After boiling the wontons, I immediately throw them into a water/ice bath. This will cool the wontons down and prevent the wonton wrappers from getting soggy and sticky.
Once the wontons are cool, I throw them into a colander to allow the water to drain.
For storage, I place about 7-10 wontons in a ziplock bag, allowing as little air as possible to remain in the bag.
The bag is then placed in the freezer.
For future consumption, just reboil them until they are completely thawed.
CONCLUSION
I absolutely love wontons. They can be enjoyed in so many different ways. However, making wontons is very laborious. I recommend making large batches at a time so you can store and save them for later consumption. I always have wontons stocked in my freezer for a quick and delicious meal. My favorite is enjoying them in a savory chili sauce or hot wonton noodle soup. What is great about wontons is that you can always get creative with the filling. Cooking wontons is a great group activity and brings people together. I hope you enjoy this recipe! The amount of aprons I am awarding this recipe is...
