Wonton Filling Recipes

CREAM CHEESE WONTONS

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Mix together the honey, soy sauce, Sriracha, vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl and set aside.
• For the wontons: In the bowl of a mixer (or you can do it by hand), mix together the cream cheese, Sriracha and green onions until totally combined (scrape the mixer bowl if necessary). In a separate bowl, mix together the egg and 1/2 cup water.
• One at a time, assemble the wontons: Place approximately 1/2 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture on one corner of a wonton wrapper. Use your finger to "paint" the egg wash all around the edges of the wrapper. Roll the wrapper on a diagonal, starting with the cream cheese corner and stopping when half the wrapper is rolled and the cream cheese mixture is inside. Bring up the 2 ends and use the egg wash to stick them together. Allow the remaining pointed end to naturally tuck backward. (The wontons should resemble tortellini.) As you work, place the assembled wontons under plastic wrap or a light towel to keep them from drying out.
• Heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a large saucepan or medium skillet until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers just under 350 degrees F. (You don't want the oil too hot or it will burn the wontons! Experiment with a spare sheet of wonton wrappers to check.)
• In batches of 4 or 5 at a time, fry the wontons for 45 seconds to 1 minute, flipping carefully midway through to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them when you think they still could stand to slightly brown a teeny bit more (because they will slightly brown in the seconds after you remove them from the pan!). Drain the wontons on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining batches.
• It's best to wait 5 to 10 minutes before serving the wontons, as the cream cheese filling can be quite hot. Serve with the dipping sauce.

WONTON FILLING

Steps:

• Place half the shrimp and pork in a food processor, along with the ginger and all of the seasonings, then blend together. Chop the remaining shrimp and add it to the blended mixture, along with the scallions. Mix well. Put a teaspoon of the shrimp mixture into the middle of a wonton wrapper and close it tightly with your fingers, brushing the edges with a little water to help them stick if necessary. As you wrap each wonton, place it on a plate covered with a thin layer of flour to prevent sticking. Bring a pot of water or broth to a boil and cook the wontons in batches, for around 5 minutes. When they are cooked, they will float to the top of the pot. Your wontons are now ready to serve.

PORK AND SHRIMP WON TONS

Steps:

• Put pork and shrimp in a chilled mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix briefly with chopsticks, wet hands or wooden spoons. Add rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, bean paste, serrano chiles and garlic chives. Mix well to incorporate. Pan-fry a small flat patty in a small amount of oil to check seasoning; taste and adjust. Transfer mixture to a small container, cover and chill at least 30 minutes, or longer if you have time, up to 24 hours.
• To prepare wontons, remove a few wonton skins from package and lay them on dry work surface. Put 1 teaspoon filling in the center of each square skin. Paint edges of square lightly with egg. Gently fold one side over the other, pinching edges together. You should a have a folded rectangle. Now pull the lower corners in toward each other and pinch together to make the traditional curved wonton shape. Place wontons 1 inch apart on a baking sheet or platter. Dust lightly with cornstarch and refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to cook.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, put a small handful of spinach leaves and about 2 tablespoons cilantro in each person's deep wide soup bowl. When water is boiling, drop about 10 wontons into pot and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with wire bamboo spider (or a large fine-meshed sieve with a handle) and divide among bowls. Repeat with remaining wontons. Pour about 11/2 cups hot broth over each serving. Drizzle with red pepper oil if desired.

GRANDMA'S CRISPY PORK WONTONS

Steps:

• Mix together the ground pork, celery, carrot, onion, and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and soy sauce; mix with your hands until well blended.
• Separate the wonton wrappers and lay them out on a clean surface. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the pork mixture into the center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wonton wrappers with beaten egg, fold over the filling to form a triangle, and press together to seal. Place the finished wontons on a baking sheet.
• Heat the canola oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Fry the wontons, about 6 at a time, until they turn golden brown and float to the top, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

CHINESE WONTONS

Steps:

• Combine pork, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vegetables in a bowl.
• Separate wonton skins.
• Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of the wonton.
• Brush water on 2 borders of the skin, covering 1/4 inch from the edge.
• Fold skin over to form a triangle, sealing edges.
• Pinch the two long outside points together.
• Heat oil to 450 degrees and fry 4 to 5 at a time until golden.
• Drain and serve with sauce.

CRISPY WONTONS

Steps:

• Combine pork, water chestnuts, green onions, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt and ginger in medium bowl; mix well. Place 1/2 teaspoonful pork mixture in center of each wonton skin. Fold wonton skin over filling to form a triangle. Turn top of triangle down to meet fold. Turn over; moisten 1 corner with water. Overlap opposite corner over moistened corner; press together firmly.
• Heat oil in wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F. Deep-fry wontons, a few at a time, 2 to 3 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with ketchup and mustard or sweet & sour sauce, as desired.

WONTON FILLING

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Wrap cabbage in a double layer of paper towels; firmly squeeze out excess liquid. Return cabbage to bowl; add pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well with a fork. Refrigerate leftover filling up to 2 days.

CRISPY BAKED WONTONS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the pork, turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the water chestnuts, soy sauce, egg substitute and ginger., Position a wonton wrapper with one point toward you. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Place 2 heaping teaspoons of filling in the center of wrapper. Fold bottom corner over filling; fold sides toward center over filling. Roll toward the remaining point. Moisten top corner with water; press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling., Place on baking sheets coated with cooking spray; lightly coat wontons with additional cooking spray. , Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Serve warm, with sweet-and-sour sauce if desired. Freeze option: Freeze cooled baked wontons in a freezer container, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 400° oven until crisp and heated through.