RECIPE: Fried Wontons

My roommate was putting together a Southeast Asian themed dinner party this weekend with a focus on the use of lemongrass- Vietnamese meatballs in lettuce cups; beef rendang. I was going to contribute a lemongrassy version of my family's fried dumplings, but then I found myself with less than a few hours on the clock, and going with what was immediately available around me, I went with a recipe for fried wontons.

shrimp and pork filled fried wontons

I actually don't remember ever making wontons before. It may have to do with my family's regional upbringing, but we always made dumplings at home. In the US, Chinese American restaurants usually use a very flavorful pork filling and they're found in either wonton soup or fried with a side of sweet and sour sauce. In the more authentic cuisine I've had, wontons are rarely fried (though they can be) and they're filled with a combination of shrimp and pork, often served over noodle soup. The wrappers are much more delicate and practically melt in your mouth to reveal the tender filling.

After doing some research online, here's the filling recipe I ultimately adapted and went with:

• 1/2 lb lean ground pork
• 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 4 whole water chestnuts
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
• 1 tsp very finely chopped ginger
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp mushroom soy
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp white pepper

Coursely chop the shrimp. Finely chop the water chestnuts. Combine everything in a bowl and mix well. Let sit an hour in the refrigerator, covered, before using.

I was actually quite surprised at how well these turned out for a first try. The flavor profiles were verging on what pork and shrimp shiu mai taste like, minus the mushroom. I have a lot of the filling left, so I may find myself experimenting in the dim sum realm...