FRIED WONTONS

     The craze for Fried Wontons stepped into our home with my daughter's love for Wonton Mee(Noodles) she tasted at my Son's University Canteen. Wonton Mee is one regular dish my son eats for his lunch and if anything fancies him he always makes sure that we all try it.  More than the Mee, what took my daughter's taste buds was the fried wontons they served along with it. Since then, she had been trying to convince me to try the recipe. Right from buying the Wonton Sheets, searching for a recipe and perfecting the wrapping techniques, she presented it to me in such a way that I went with her flow during our first attempt of making Fried Wontons.  She had literally learned how to artistically wrap the Wonton Sheets in different ways like Money Bags/Purse, Chinese Ingot, otherwise called a Flower Bud or Nurse's Cap, Star Shaped Flower etc.,
    This is one simple recipe which can be executed within minutes, and with the ready-made Wonton Wrappers the job gets much easier.  The best about these Fried Wontons is their totally contradictory nature - Crispy Outer Skins with Juicy flavour-filled Fillings will surely take you by surprise at every bite. These crunchy Appetisers are perfect party food too.  Serve them with a combination of Sweet & Spicy Dipping sauce to tease your taste buds.
   You can find Wonton Sheets at any Asian market, or in the Asian foods/speciality foods section of the supermarket labelled -Won Ton Wraps/Won Ton Skins in the refrigerated section. Normally you can get them in two shapes, Square and Round. With a single fold, you can use either a square wrapper to create a triangle, or the round one to create a half moon. The two shapes serve the same purpose, but the folding technique and the dumpling filling is what makes the difference.
     Wontons sheets are thin square/round pastry like wrappers made with Wheat Flour.  These sheets are used to cover the juicy fillings, wrapped into desired shapes, steamed, pan-cooked or deep fried.  Usually, the filling consists of minced pork, shrimps seasoned with onions, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Wontons are traditionally boiled, but recently these Fried Wontons have caught up the western Chinese Cuisine with their Crispy Wrappers and juicy Fillings.


Cuisine - Chinese
Course - Appetiser / Starter 
Spice Level  - Low
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 50 Fried Wontons
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 45 Minutes - 1 Hour
Cooking Time - 20 -30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Ground Meat (Pork/Chicken/Beef/Lamb) - 3/4 Cup
Minced Shrimps - 1/2 Cup
Garlic - 2–3 Cloves
Ginger - 1 Small Piece
Spring Onions/Chives - Few
Light Soy Sauce - 2 Tablespoons
Oyster Sauce - 1 Tablespoons
Corn Starch - 1 Teaspoon
White Pepper Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Toasted Sesame Oil - 1 Teaspoon
Salt - To Taste
Sugar - 1 Tspn

METHOD:

• In a large bowl, add the ground Meat, finely minced Shrimps, Ginger, Garlic, Spring Onions/chives, Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, White Pepper Powder, Toasted Sesame Oil along with a dash of Salt & Sugar. 
• Sprinkle Corn Starch to the above and mix well to combine.
• Place a Wonton Wrapper flat in your palm and place the filling to the centre of the wrapper.
• Brush the sides of the Wonton Sheets with water and seal the sides tightly and fold it up into the desired shape.
• Spread the folded Wontons on a large plate and cover it with a plastic wrap to avoid drying out.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep pan on a high flame.
• Reduce the flame to medium and deep-fry the folded Wontons, turning them once until they turn into golden brown.
• Once done, remove the Fried Wontons from the Oil and spread them on a Paper Towel.
• Serve them with your choice of Dipping Sauce.

• Can use any ground meat for the fillings.
• Can substitute meat with Mushrooms, Cabbage or any Chinese Greens for a Vegetarian version on Wontons.
• If Frying add 1 Tspn of the filling and if boiling add 1 Tablespoon of the filling to the centre of the Wonton Sheet.
• Once the Wontons are folded, you can use them immediately or freeze them for later usage.
• Folded Wontons can be deep-fried, steamed or pan-cooked.  Can also use them as dumplings in the soup.
• Will update the post with folding techniques soon.