Who doesn’t love a comforting bowl of wonton soup or pan fried wontons as yummy side dish. I do most of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s and they do have the best frozen wontons that are so delicious and convenient. One day I was getting the itch to make my own. I love making homemade pasta and ravioli, so I figured why not try wontons? My next thought was how now I needed to brainstorm a filling. So, after doing my research to learn more about authentic wonton recipes and Asian ingredients, I decided I needed to go another route. My goal was to create a wonton filling recipe with five ingredients or less, Asian inspired flavors, and easy steps. 

Not everyone’s pantries are stocked with Asian ingredients, and trying to follow an authentic recipe can feel intimidating with unfamiliar items. Plus, sometimes it can be a pain to go out and buy all these ingredients you may not use again if you don’t make the effort to. That being said, I really wanted to make this easy on all of us! I wanted to commit to under five ingredients. My mission was accomplished and these pillows of heaven came out fantastic! Follow my step by step pictures and video to make the assembly process seamless. Hand making wontons is easy, I promise. There is a catch, it does just take some time to assemble them. Not a crazy long amount, it just isn’t quick. So, choose to make these when you know you won’t be in a rush or have some little helpers in the kitchen for the extra hands. This also makes a terrific recipe for a date night, for kids, or girls night. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork (or chicken, turkey, beef)

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• Freshly grated ginger, about 1 tbsp

• 4 scallions, finely sliced

• Wonton wraps 

Instructions:

1. Add ground meat and soy sauce into a mixing bowl and let sit while you prepare your ginger, garlic and scallions.

2. Cut the ends off each side of the scallions then rinse under water to clean and remove the first “dirtier” layer. Then place on a cutting board and finely slice whites and greens. Add to the mixing bowl with the meat and soy sauce.

3. Use a potato peeler to easily peel the ginger root. Then use a cheese grater to grate ginger over the meat mixture. If you don’t have a peeler or grater, carefully use a knife to peel then finely mince.

4. Smash and peel the garlic, then use a garlic press to mince the garlic over the meat mixture. If you don’t have a garlic press, use a knife to mince garlic.

5. Use a spoon or your hands to combine the meat mixture until well mixed. Over mixing the meat can cause it to become tough. Just mix enough to make sure all the ingredients are well combined.

6. Have a little cup of water placed in your working area. Then place one wonton wrap on your surface so it looks like a diamond (not square). Use a small spoon to place a little dollop of meat in the center. Dip your finger in the water then trace two edges of the wonton. The water will act as “glue” when you fold the edges together. Take the bottom corner and fold it over the meat to reach the top corner. Use your fingers to press edges together. Then, take the two bottom corners and bring them together. Overlap them, then use water again to glue those two corners. Set aside and continue until all the wontons and meat is used up.

7. You can either cook the wontons right away, or freezer for future use. 

8. *To freezer- place parchment paper then into a freezer safe bag or container. When you are ready to use, you do not need to thaw them. You can add them straight into the boiling water.

9. *To cook- Bring a few cups of water to a light boil, add salt, then add wontons into the water. Give a stir so they don’t stick to the bottom. Boil for 5-6 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and transfer onto a plate or directly into prepared hot broth if using it for soup. After boiling, you can pan fry with some oil for a quick, seared crust then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

   
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