Reader Request! Asian Wontons (Dumplings, Pots Stickers tiny morsels of deliciousness)

I had a request from a friend for a recipe for Dumplings/Wonton's. I love them yum yum, and they are soooooo versitile. You can pre make and cook them in advance then reheat for parties, put them in a soup, eat them as a entree, a main, hell you could even eat them as dessert if you are so inclined! They can be vegetarian, or full of meat, what a delicious tasty treat!! I don't have any of my own photos at the moment so please enjoy the google supplied image below haha!

Ingredients

• 1 cup roughly shredded Chinese cabbage (Wombok)
• 2-3 spring onions sliced roughly
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 whole chilli (seeds optional)
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• ½ a kilo of pork or chicken mince
• 1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 package wonton wrappers (in the Fridge in the pasta section, You can get round or square, both work the same). You can make your own Wonton Wrappers. I have tried twice and neither time was it very successful.
• Cooking spray (I use coconut oil)
• 2 cups water
• Soy Sauce or Sweet Chilli Sauce to Serve

Method

1. Put Cabbage, Spring Onions, soy sauce, chilli, ginger, mince, chestnuts and garlic into a food processer and give it a few quick spins. This combines the ingredients and minces it all up. You want the mixture to stick together.

2. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep from drying), spoon about 1 teaspoon filling into center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with water (a pastry brush is very handy to brush over the edges). Bring 2 opposite corners together, pinching points together to seal. Bring the remaining 2 corners to center; pinch points to seal. Pinch 4 edges together to seal. Place dumpling, seam side up, to the side. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers and filling to form the dumplings. Continue until all the mixture is gone. Coat dumplings with cooking spray.

3. Place a large nonstick frying pan (one with a lid if possible) over medium-high heat. Arrange 10-15 dumplings, seam sides up, in the pan; cook 30 seconds or until the bottom is browned. Add 1/2 cup water to pan; cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Remove dumplings from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining dumplings and water.

 

4.Serve immediately with a soy sauce, or sweet chilli sauce or a peanut sauce or... you get the gist, whatever delicious sauce you desire!

ALTERNATIVE COOKING METHOD 1

If you prefer to have your dumpling steamed then you can invest in some bamboo steamers (any supermarket or cooking supply store has these).  Fill a saucepan of water and sit your steamers on top. Bring the water to a simmer. Line each basket on the steamer with a piece of baking paper and sit your dumplings on top. Steam for approximately 5-10 minutes.

ALTERNATIVE COOKING METHOD 2

You can also deep fry your dumplings if you prefer tasty crunchy mouthfuls of deliciousness (can you tell I love dumplings hahaha). Heat a saucepan of oil or your deep fryer. Test the oil by putting a cube of bread in the oil. It should turn brown fairly quickly but not burn. You do not want your oil too hot or the wonton wrappers will burn. Similarly you do not want your oil too low or the wontons will just absorb the oil and go soggy not crispy.

 

 

Feel free to eat them all at once, in one giant mouthful like Kung Fu Panda would do... thats how I eat them hahaha!

Happy Cooking! (From Scratch)

Erica xx