Crispy Fried Wontons
In the united States, at many Chinese restaurants, fried wontons are basically fried wonton wrappers cut into strips with no filling. Traditionally, however, wontons have a filling composed mostly of ground pork that is wrapped in a dough skin (wonton wrapper). Fried wonton is a great finger food that I love to serve at gatherings and parties because everyone enjoys these deep-fried and glorious golden brown parcels of goodness. They are very easy to make and you can be creative with the filling. The base in this recipe is ground pork, but you can use chicken or even turkey. I love adding some shrimp to give it a richer and savorier taste, but I’ve had equal success using scallops and crabmeat.
Makes 24–36 or serves 6 as an appetizer or snack
1 packet store-bought wonton wrappers oil, for deep-frying
Filling
1. Make the Filling by combining all the ingredients together. Chill the Filling in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Wrap the wontons by follow3 ing the instructional picture guide on this page.
3. Heat 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 4 cm) of the oil in a wok or stockpot to 350°F (175°C) for deepfrying. Gently drop the wrapped wontons into the oil and deepfry in batches.
4. Deep-fry the wontons until they turn a light golden brown. Dish out with a strainer or slotted spoon, draining the excess oil by laying the wontons on a wire rack or a dish lined with paper towels. Serve immediately.
How To Wrap The Wontons
1. Place a piece of wonton wrapper on a flat surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the Filling onto the wrapper.
2. Make a circle with your left thumb and index finger. Place the wonton into the circle.
3. Fold the wonton by squeezing the opening tightly with your thumb and index finger.
4. Make sure the wrapped wonton is sealed tight and there is no leakage.
Makes 24–36 or serves 6 as an appetizer or snack
1 packet store-bought wonton wrappers oil, for deep-frying
Filling
- 8 oz (250 g) ground pork
- 4 oz (100 g) raw shrimp, finely chopped
- one ½ in (1.25 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 green onion (scallion), trimmed and cut into small rounds
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or sherry
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 dashes white pepper
1. Make the Filling by combining all the ingredients together. Chill the Filling in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Wrap the wontons by follow3 ing the instructional picture guide on this page.
3. Heat 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 4 cm) of the oil in a wok or stockpot to 350°F (175°C) for deepfrying. Gently drop the wrapped wontons into the oil and deepfry in batches.
4. Deep-fry the wontons until they turn a light golden brown. Dish out with a strainer or slotted spoon, draining the excess oil by laying the wontons on a wire rack or a dish lined with paper towels. Serve immediately.
COOK’S NOTE: There are different sizes of wonton wrappers in the marketplace. Use 1 teaspoon of the Filling if the wonton wrappers are smaller, which yields about 36 wontons.
How To Wrap The Wontons
1. Place a piece of wonton wrapper on a flat surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the Filling onto the wrapper.
2. Make a circle with your left thumb and index finger. Place the wonton into the circle.
3. Fold the wonton by squeezing the opening tightly with your thumb and index finger.
4. Make sure the wrapped wonton is sealed tight and there is no leakage.