April 26, 2007
Wanton Ways
This wanton was made using a shrimp dumpling wrapper (水饺皮). That was what the packaging said. Shrimp dumpling wrappers are thicker than wanton wrappers.
My wanton looks like a shrimp dumpling (水饺), but yet because there is no shrimp inside, I call it a “wanton”. Next time I will make a wanton that looks like a real wanton ok?
I usually associate wantons with char siew and wanton noodles (叉烧云吞面) but I did not have any char siew with me. Then I remembered that mom sometimes ate her wantons in its “dry form”, with just a bit of sambal belachan mixed with light soy sauce and this can be a meal by itself… well… at least for myself, it can.
Here’s how to make wantons that look like shrimp dumplings:
Ingredients (Serves 3):
(Makes about 24 wantons.)
- 1/2 lb minced pork
- 1/2 tsp salt
- a few dashes white pepper
- 1/2 tsp cornflour
- 1 stalk spring onions (chopped)
- 1 tbsp dried sole fish (crushed into small pieces)
- 24 round wanton / shrimp dumpling “wrappers”
- a small dish of water
- 1/2 chicken stock cube, dissolved in 4 cups warm water
Preparation and Cooking Method:
1. Mix minced pork with salt, white pepper, corn flour and spring onions.
2. Lay wrapper on plate. Add a few small pieces of dried sole. Use two teaspoons to scoop up some minced pork and put on the wrapper.
3. Use a finger to dab some water onto the whole circumference of the wrapper. As you fold the wrapper, squeeze out as much air as possible from the meat filling. Set aside.
4. Bring the saucepan of chicken stock solution to a boil. Gently drop each wanton into the chicken stock. Cook the wantons in batches of 5-6 (or depending on the size of your saucepan) so that the chicken stock can be maintained at boiling temperature.
5. Wantons are cooked when the wrapper skin becomes wrinkled - after about 3 minutes or so. Dish out and serve.
Cook’s Notes:
1. Don’t choose the leanest minced pork because then the meat will be tough. You can mix lean minced pork with some fatty minced pork if you wish.
2. You can add some chopped water chestnuts to give your wantons a crunchy texture.
Bite This!
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April 26th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Next time you shd make…errr…wanton but with shrimp fillings….then call it Shrimpton! LOL! That blue plate so familiar….think I also have one? Buahahahah!
April 26th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Corelle? :)
April 26th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
When I was a kid, I like to dip wanton into soy sauce. Hmmm.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
Call it Sim-tons :-)
April 26th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
DF:
You can make wantons with your kids too (relive your childhood). Then they can put on their cute aprons again.
KM:
Cannot la… who will do a google search for sim-tons?
April 27th, 2007 at 1:51 am
when I was small wonton noodle soup used to be my favourite treat. You’ve just given me a simple yet great idea to use up the minced pork in the fridge. :D
April 27th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Nice :) I sometimes also get ideas and inspiration for what to cook, from other food blogs.
April 27th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Your wanton looks delicious. I’m glad you’re using the REAL wanton wrappers.
Some of the Chinese takeout restaurants here have the most disgusting wantons I’ve ever eaten. They use these thick wrappers and the inside is some sort of unrecognizable meat. YUCK!!
April 27th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Actually this wrapper was not as thin as I hoped it would be. There were several kinds of wrapper on sale, but none of them specifically said “wanton wrapper” so I just took the one which I could read the Chinese words so that I knew what I bought :p
April 28th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I have never had wonton with dried sole!! Now I’m so excited to try - is the dried sole in the chinese market?
April 28th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
YEah, dried sole is supposed to be found in Asian supermarkets - though I haven’t seen an actual packet yet (in Ranch 99 where I shop). These ones I had brought back from Singapore when I was home for a visit.
April 29th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
they look more like sim-plings hehehe, oh heck, they’re all good :)
September 30th, 2007 at 6:57 am
[…] I use dried sole quite a bit, like in soups, stir fried vegetables, Minced Pork with Tofu and Wantons. It is packed with flavor! […]
October 15th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
thanks for the great blog. am i the only one who’s going to say that the spelling of “wanton” means something different than a filled dumpling? (i.e. sexually promiscuous) more commonly used to describe a filled chinese dumpling without misunderstanding would be “wonton”.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Bwahahhaa…. yep! You are the only one! BTW, “wanton” can also be used, but you are absolutely right about “wonton” being better used without misunderstanding.