Wonton | provocativebite

Chicken and Prawn Wontons with Chilli oil

Perfect little delicate wontons which are coated in oil brings a gradual warm burn to the mouth, but at the same times does not leave you feeling sucker punched. It is a popular South China dish which can be served in a light broth as well. It is a type of chicken noodle soup for the soul but packed in perfect parcels. It brings a smile to everyone’s faces.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8 (Makes around 40 wontons)

340g ground chicken, preferably dark meat

120g fresh prawns

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 spring onions, minced

3-4cm ginger, minced

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

2 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp gound white pepper

1 pack wonton wrapper

Chilli oil

150ml sunflower or vegetable oil

2 tbsp dried chilli flakes

2 tsp Sichuan peppers

1 tbsp peanuts

3-4 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1 tbsp salt

Pickling

½-1 medium cucumber, halved and sliced

2 banana shallots

4 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp caster sugar

To serve

1 spring onion, sliced diagonally

1-2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. To make pickling, peel and half the cucumber lengthways and slice thinly. Peel the shallots and slice thinly. Mix the white wine vinegar and sugar together in bowl until sugar has dissolved and place the prepared cucumber and shallots in. Cling film and place in fridge

2. For the Chilli Oil place chilli flakes, peanuts and salt into a heat proof bowl and set aside. Heat frying pan with oil over medium heat then place in the Sichuan peppers, cinnamon and star anise until the aromas start to release. Have sieve ready over the bowl of prepared dried chilli flakes and pass the oil through sieve. There will be an immediate bubbling and sizzle so pay careful attention. Mix with spoon and allow to cool.

3. Place the chicken meat in the food proccessor with the prawns and blend til they become homogenized. If you do not have a food processor you can ground the chicken and prawns with cleaver and then mix by hand til it is all homogenised.

4. Add to the ground chicken and prawn minced garlic, spring onions, ginger, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, oyster sauce, ground white pepper and blend once more til it has all come together. If you are doing this by hand, mix with your hand till it all comes together in a kneading motion in the bowl. You can taste the filling by cooking around tsp in steamer or microwave and add more seasoning if needed.

5. Have wonton wrappers and small bowl water. Fill the center of the wrapper around 1-1½ tsp filling and wet the sides of the wrapper with your finger. Fold the wrapper from one corner to the other so you make a triangle shape, press to make sure there is no air pockets. Then wet both side corners of the triangle with your finger and bring it together and squeeze. Repeat to make more wontons.

6. In medium-large saucepan, fill it just over half way with water and add 2 pinches salt and allow to boil. Add the wontons around a batch at a time. These will take around 5 minutes to cook or until they float to the surface.

7. To serve place in desired bowl, place in wontons and add chilli oil ontop with toasted sesame seeds and sliced sping onions, and place on the side the pickled cucumber and shallots. Bon appetite!!!!