These wontons can be enjoyed as a snack or starter, they also make a fantastic topping for noodle soups or even instant ramen, said Uyen Luu.
I always save uncooked ones for the freezer, then steam them from frozen for ten minutes. I love to fold them with a friend, and a cup of tea, so we can have a good catch-up.
Ingredients (makes 30 wontons):
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- 150g minced pork
- 200g peeled raw king prawns, finely chopped
- 100g tinned water chestnuts, finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp frozen edamame beans, defrosted
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
- ½ tbsp cornflour
- 200g square wonton wrappers (about 10cm/4in)
- 2 tsp sesame oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 10g garlic chives or coriander leaves, sliced into 3cm pieces, to garnish (optional)
For the dipping sauce:
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp black vinegar or cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp crispy chilli oil
Method:
- First, make the dipping sauce by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the pork to another bowl with the prawns, water chestnuts, spring onions, edamame beans, oyster sauce, salt, sugar and pepper and mix well.
- Lightly dust a plate with the cornflour and fill a cup with water. To form the dumplings, place a wrapper onto the palm of your hand and dollop 1 heaped teaspoon of filling into the middle. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the wonton wrapper over into a triangle while pushing the air out of the filling, then pinch the wrapper together to form a sack. Pinch and fan out the top to seal, then place on the prepared plate. Repeat until you have used up all the filling.
- To cook the wontons, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then gently drop in a handful of wontons (don’t crowd the pan) and let it come back to the boil. After 4-5 minutes the wontons will float to the surface. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then lift them out of the water with a spider or slotted spoon and place on a plate. Drizzle with sesame oil and repeat until you have cooked as many as you need. Keep any extras for freezing.
- Garnish with the herbs, if using, then pour over the sauce or serve it on the side in dipping bowls.
Taken from “Quick and Easy Vietnamese” by Uyen Luu, published by Hardie Grant at £25. Photography by Uyen Luu. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £19.99, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.
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