Fried Won Tons

Chinese Lunar New Year, or simply Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional festival in China. It marks the beginning of the lunar new year according to the traditional Chinese calendar, which is based on the cycles of the moon.  The festival lasts for about 15 days, starting from the first day of the first lunar month and ending with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day.

Some of my favorite Asian appetizers are Pork Egg Rolls and Vegetable Rainbow Rolls. I also make a ton of main dishes.  One of my favorites is Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken.  A vegetarian favorite is General Tso’s Cauliflower and Tofu which tastes a lot like take out.

For Chinese Lunar New Year I wanted to make some type of fried won ton.  Initially I was going to stuff them with pork but then I thought they might taste too much like my egg rolls so I went with an easy vegetarian stuffed won ton.

What is a won ton?

A wonton is a type of dumpling commonly found in Chinese cuisine. It is made by wrapping a thin piece of dough around a filling.  Often times the filling is made from minced or ground meat (such as pork or shrimp) with seasonings, although vegetarian fillings are also popular. The dough is usually made from flour and water.  Wontons can be boiled, steamed, or fried. They can vary in size and shape, but they are typically small and either triangular or pleated. Wontons are enjoyed in various regions of China and are also popular in other parts of Asia and around the world.

Ingredients:

• won ton wrappers (these can be found in the produce section of many grocery stores)
• scallions (or green onions)
• ginger (fresh or a paste can be used)
• garlic cloves
• carrots
• celery
• Napa cabbage (or green cabbage if you can’t find Napa)
• soy sauce (I prefer low sodium)
• rice vinegar (you can use seasoned or unseasoned)
• sesame oil
• sugar
• salt and pepper
• vegetable or canola oil

These won tons are not hard to make but they can be time consuming.  I usually make the filling ahead of time.   It can be made up to 48 hours in advance.

To make the filling combine the scallions, ginger, garlic, carrots, celery, and cabbage in a large bowl.  Pour the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper over top and mix well to combine.

Take one won ton wrapper and put it on a cutting board in a diamond shape. Wet the edges with water.

Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of the won ton. Press the won ton around the filling to seal it in. Wet your fingers and rub on the bottom corner.  Fold the top corner over so that it meets the bottom corner. Press down to seal. Then wet the left corner and bring it over to meet the right corner. Press to seal.

If this is too difficult you can just fold the won ton in half and seal the edges to make a triangle.   I usually end up making some of each type.

Can I freeze the won tons?

You can freeze the won tons before frying them.  I like to put them on a baking sheet so that they are not touching.  Freeze them for 20 minutes.  Remove from the freezer and put them into baggies in sets of 4 or 8 depending on how many you will use at a time.   Place the baggies inside of a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

When ready to fry the won tons heat an inch of oil in a medium sized skillet over medium high heat.   Add the won tons a few at a time to the hot oil.

Fry them in batches, flipping after a minute or two, until they are golden brown.  Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.   Serve plain or with dipping sauce.

I like to dip mine in Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce.  They are also good with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.  You can also enjoy them plain or with soy sauce.