prawn wonton fried and steamed shrimp

So these little tasty buggers can not only be fried or steamed but also, air fried, boiled or pan-fried. So yes, this is totally a must-try recipe. The filling is flavourful, juicy and pretty much addictive so… take note tastebuds!

Feel free to substitute the prawns with whatever protein you’d like. I’d just refrain from adding the dashi stock when using beef or vegetarian/vegan substitutes as the brand of dashi stock that I use is made from dried tuna and this doesn’t pair well with beef and is not vegetarian or vegan friendly. The brand I use is, Hondashi stock granules, which I buy from my local Asian store and it adds a lovely umami flavour to any dish. I’d recommend you substitute this with vegetable/beef/chicken stock granules or MSG.

If you’d like a simple guide or different ways to fold your wontons, then check this out: How to Warp Wontons in 6 Different Ways . I was in no mood to be authentic (excuse me) so I just folded them in a simpler way (for me at least). See the recipe video below for a visual representation. It really doesn’t matter how you choose to fold them, as long as your pockets are fully sealed, then you’re good to go.

These wontons are really easy to make, the only aspect that is time-consuming is the time spent filling and folding the wontons but it’s so worth it once you realize that you can freeze them and then whenever you’re keen on a little wonton-action, you can just pull ’em out and pop them straight into some hot oil. You can also, boil, steam, air fry or panfry them.

Prawn wontons have a rich history deeply rooted in Chinese cuisine. These delicate dumplings, typically filled with prawns and other ingredients, are a staple in many Chinese households and restaurants.

Origin

  • Ancient China: Wontons have been a part of Chinese culinary traditions for over a thousand years. The concept of wrapping food in dough dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). Initially, these dumplings were simple, filled with meat or vegetables, and served in soups.

Evolution

  • Regional Variations: Over time, different regions in China developed their own versions of wontons. Prawn wontons became particularly popular in southern coastal areas where seafood was abundant.
  • Cantonese Influence: Cantonese cuisine, known for its delicate flavors and emphasis on fresh seafood, played a significant role in popularizing prawn wontons. The Cantonese often serve these dumplings in a clear broth or as part of a dim sum spread.

Different cooking methods:

Frying: Add about 8cm worth of oil into a medium saucepan. Once it reached degrees 190 celsius, fry the wontons until golden brown.

Bamboo Steamer: Place baking paper (with incisions) on the base of your bamboo steamer and bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. You’ll be steaming them for 6-8mins.

Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer prior to air frying. Spray or brush the wontons with a bit of oil and then pop them in for 7mins at 190 degrees celsius, then flip and air fry for another 5-6mins.

Boiling: Add them straight into your simmering soup or stock and boil/simmer for approx. 10mins but make sure they don’t stick together. You can also pop them straight into salted boiling water and boil for 10mins.

Check the recipe video below to see what the final product will be looking like!

prawn wonton fried and steamed shrimp

Prawn Wontons

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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Starter
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: wontons
Servings: 40 wontons

Ingredients

  • 40 wonton wrappers store-bought
  • 350 grams prawn/shrimp meat
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic finely diced
  • ¼ cup spring onion chopped
  • 1 tsp dashi stock
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce light or regular sodium
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • oil for frying

Instructions

  • Washing and dry your prawn meat with a kitchen towel. Chop the prawn meat as fine as you prefer, this'll depend on how 'chunky' you'd like the filling to be. I prefer it to be quite paste like. Add the minced prawn meat to a large bowl. Set in the fridge.
  • Add the 1 tbsp oil, finely chopped onion, ginger and garlic to a frying pan and sauté on med-high until the onion is lightly charred. It should look like it's slightly burnt but adds heaps of flavour to the final dish *see recipe video below for a visual reference.
  • Remove the minced prawns from the fridge and add the charred onion mixture, chopped spring onion, dashi stock (or vegetable/beef/chicken stock granules or MSG *see notes above recipe), soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper and cornstarch. Mix until well combined.
  • Place a tsp amount of the filling in the middle of the wonton. Dip your finger in some water and run it along the top half of the wonton. Fold the bottom half of the wonton over and seal the wonton by pressing down firmly. Dip your finger in the water again and run it along the edges once more and gentle fold in half. Set aside and continue until the filling is done.
  • Start preparing your cooking method once the wontons have been folded. If frying them, bring your oil to a temp of degrees celsius.
  • I like mixing 1 tbsp chilli oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp water together with spring onion as a basic dipping sauce. Serve and devour!

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