Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 6
For the wontons
- about 30 wonton wrappers (see end of recipe to make your own)
For the filling
- 350g (12 oz) chicken breast
- 1 piece (2cm) fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (light)
- 2 tablespoons rice wine (or Mirin)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 scallion stems or shallots
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For frying
- Neutral oil
These dumplings are truly within everyone’s reach. They take a bit of time to make but aren’t very difficult, and most importantly, they’re delicious.
Preparing the Wontons
For the Filling
Blend the chicken, ginger, and green onion, then add the liquids (soy sauce, etc.) and cornstarch. You’ll get a paste that already smells wonderfully of Chinese cuisine!
Shaping the Wontons
On your clean work surface, arrange the wonton wrappers.
Keep a small bowl of water nearby to moisten the edges of the wontons for sealing.
Place 1 small teaspoon of chicken filling in the center of each wonton (no more or you’ll have trouble closing them).
Moisten the wonton wrapper around the filling with a little water from the bowl, then fold into a triangle with the point facing up, lightly pinch the sides, and fold downward (as shown in the photo). Set aside and proceed the same way until the filling is used up.
Cooking the Wontons
In a small skillet, pour 2cm (¾ inch) of neutral oil. When the oil is hot enough, add 4 wontons and fry, turning until they have a beautiful golden color.
Drain on a strainer or plate covered with paper towels.
Arrange on a platter and serve with sweet chili sauce.
Variations
If you’d like to make them without frying, wonton soup is also delicious.
Wonton Soup
Click the image for the recipe
Making Homemade Wonton Wrappers
If you can’t find wonton wrappers, here’s the recipe to make them yourself. It’s very easy and you can even use this dough to make gyozas or steamed dumplings.
Ingredients for about 25 wontons:
- 250g (2 cups) flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 140ml (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) water
- 1 egg (optional)
Mix well until you get a smooth dough, let rest 5-10 minutes. Put cornstarch on your work surface, roll out the dough thinly, then cut into 8-10cm (3-4 inch) squares. You can use them immediately or freeze them by separating each wonton wrapper with parchment paper.