The Real-Deal Wontons
I'm smack dab in the middle of a staycation and got bitten by the wonton bug. I told a couple people I was going to attempt to make wontons and most of them came back with a version of, "Ohmygodilovewontons! The cream cheese is my favorite!"
I'm sorry, wontons have cream cheese in them? Oh, right #crazywhitepeople.
By wontons, I mean the traditional soup-wontons I grew up eating. The ones filled with pork, shrimp, and greens and if you were feeling crazy, chives. But cream cheese? Nah. We grew up eating that stuff on bagels. (Call us crazy.)
Not that I've got a vendetta against cream cheese. As I grew up and out of my Asian-ness, it has become one of my favorite food groups, but there's no room for it in these wontons.
These are absolutely best when made from scratch - and I promise they don't take as long as you might think. Make them and cook up a couple to enjoy right away, or make and freeze for a quick meal that's ready in 10 minutes.
You Will Need:
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
8 ounces baby bok choy (about 4 big handfuls)
6 raw shrimp (deveined and peeled)
1 pound ground pork (not lean)
1/2 bunch finely chopped chives, about 1/4 cup (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame oil + more for serving
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon black (or white) pepper
1 egg
1 package wonton wrappers
chicken stock (optional - you can also use water)
scallions
hot pickled mustard root (optional, for serving)
Start by reconstituting the shiitake mushrooms - In a small bowl, place dried mushrooms and top with boiling water. Cover with plate and let soak until mushrooms are soft - about 15-20 minutes.
These dried shiitakes I got from my momma (haha - literally) but you can just as easily use fresh if you're able to get your hands on them. With fresh, you would use the same process - soak them in boiling water for just a bit and squeeze to drain excess liquid before mincing.
Meanwhile, wash and drain bok choy (traditionally three times - making sure the water runs clear. Bok choy can be very sandy!). Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and toss in bok choy - cooking just until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove bok choy and shock in chilled water. Drain and set aside.
For this recipe, I've been using baby bok choy, but you can use full-size, or try a version with napa cabbage!
In a large mixing bowl, add ground pork, chives, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, salt, sugar, pepper and egg white from 1 egg (reserve the egg yolk in a smaller bowl - you will use this later for shaping the wontons).
Squeeze excess liquid from mushrooms and trim off stems. Mince mushrooms and add to bowl.
Taking handfuls of bok choy at a time, mince and squeeze excess liquid into a separate bowl, adding the bok choy into the larger bowl with the pork mixture.
Using your hands or a spoon, mix until combined. Add additional reserved water from bok choy as needed. You will want to form a paste-like texture. The mixture should be sticky to ensure your wontons are not too dry.
Filling, all ready to go!
Now we're ready to make the wontons! Add about a tablespoon of water to the egg yolk and stir gently to combine. This is what we'll be using to seal the wontons.
Using the wonton wrapper, place a teaspoon of filling in the center of the wonton. Using your finger, brush egg wash along half of the wonton wrapper and fold over to seal creating a rectangle shape. Use another drop of egg wash on one corner of the wonton and bring the two corners together and pinch to seal.
Repeat with remainder of wonton wrappers.
At this point, you can cook them or freeze them.
To serve, add a tablespoon soy sauce, a teaspoon of sesame oil, thinly sliced pickled mustard root (if using) and chopped scallions to a bowl.
Over medium- high heat, bring chicken stock/water to a boil and add desired number of wontons. Cook until wontons float and are cooked through - about 10 minutes.
Add cooked wontons to serving bowls and top with water/chicken broth.
Chow time!
So what's with the pickled mustard root? Well, it's entirely optional, but it's what we grew up eating wontons with! They give the dish a nice crunch and added salt.
Enjoy!
I'm sorry, wontons have cream cheese in them? Oh, right #crazywhitepeople.
By wontons, I mean the traditional soup-wontons I grew up eating. The ones filled with pork, shrimp, and greens and if you were feeling crazy, chives. But cream cheese? Nah. We grew up eating that stuff on bagels. (Call us crazy.)
Not that I've got a vendetta against cream cheese. As I grew up and out of my Asian-ness, it has become one of my favorite food groups, but there's no room for it in these wontons.
These are absolutely best when made from scratch - and I promise they don't take as long as you might think. Make them and cook up a couple to enjoy right away, or make and freeze for a quick meal that's ready in 10 minutes.
You Will Need:
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
8 ounces baby bok choy (about 4 big handfuls)
6 raw shrimp (deveined and peeled)
1 pound ground pork (not lean)
1/2 bunch finely chopped chives, about 1/4 cup (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame oil + more for serving
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon black (or white) pepper
1 egg
1 package wonton wrappers
chicken stock (optional - you can also use water)
scallions
hot pickled mustard root (optional, for serving)
Start by reconstituting the shiitake mushrooms - In a small bowl, place dried mushrooms and top with boiling water. Cover with plate and let soak until mushrooms are soft - about 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash and drain bok choy (traditionally three times - making sure the water runs clear. Bok choy can be very sandy!). Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and toss in bok choy - cooking just until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove bok choy and shock in chilled water. Drain and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add ground pork, chives, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, salt, sugar, pepper and egg white from 1 egg (reserve the egg yolk in a smaller bowl - you will use this later for shaping the wontons).
Squeeze excess liquid from mushrooms and trim off stems. Mince mushrooms and add to bowl.
Taking handfuls of bok choy at a time, mince and squeeze excess liquid into a separate bowl, adding the bok choy into the larger bowl with the pork mixture.
Using your hands or a spoon, mix until combined. Add additional reserved water from bok choy as needed. You will want to form a paste-like texture. The mixture should be sticky to ensure your wontons are not too dry.
Now we're ready to make the wontons! Add about a tablespoon of water to the egg yolk and stir gently to combine. This is what we'll be using to seal the wontons.
Using the wonton wrapper, place a teaspoon of filling in the center of the wonton. Using your finger, brush egg wash along half of the wonton wrapper and fold over to seal creating a rectangle shape. Use another drop of egg wash on one corner of the wonton and bring the two corners together and pinch to seal.
At this point, you can cook them or freeze them.
To serve, add a tablespoon soy sauce, a teaspoon of sesame oil, thinly sliced pickled mustard root (if using) and chopped scallions to a bowl.
Over medium- high heat, bring chicken stock/water to a boil and add desired number of wontons. Cook until wontons float and are cooked through - about 10 minutes.
Add cooked wontons to serving bowls and top with water/chicken broth.
So what's with the pickled mustard root? Well, it's entirely optional, but it's what we grew up eating wontons with! They give the dish a nice crunch and added salt.
Enjoy!
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