Mom's Wontons

Meaty Pork Wontons

My mom is the original food pusher in my life. I've mentioned her in several other posts (see Marilyn Wong's Chinese Chicken Salad, Brisket: A Versatile Roast, Klopses--Little Meatloaf Balls, Fried Rice, Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, and Cheese Cracker Ala Marilyn.) This one, though, is my mom's most popular recipe.

Everyone who eats these wontons just LOVES them. They're kind of like Lay's Potato Chips: you can't eat just one. Whatever is on the serving plate always gets eaten every time. They're a lot meatier than the won tons I've seen at Chinese restaurants. The restaurant wontons I've seen have about a quarter of a teaspoon of meat in the midst of a lot of crispy shell. These, though, are choc full of meat and can be eaten as a meal if you get carried away. They're also folded in a way I don't see very often. There are parts of the fried wrapper that are super crispy, and parts that are just a little bit chewy. 

Mom makes these for potlucks, family get-togethers, and for just about anyone who asks for them. They're my mother's hallmark, but I have to be honest: I don't eat these, so I can't really describe for you how they taste. I like to eat the crispy won ton exterior, but for some reason the meat isn't my thing. It's irrational, but I rationalize it by telling myself they're so fattening that I don't really need to eat them. I have too many other fattening foods that I enjoy regularly that I don't need to add another to my list.

I'm glad I'm finally getting around to posting this Wong family favorite. It's long overdue. If you're into fried carb-wrapped meat, this recipe is for you. Enjoy.

Mom's Wontons

Ingredients:

•   1 1/2  pounds hot (spicy) pork sausage                               

•   5-6 green onions, sliced thin

•   1 tablespoon soy sauce                                                        

•   1 tablespoon corn starch

•   1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

•   1 pkg. wonton wrappers 

•   small bowl of water

•   1/2 gallon of canola oil 

•   salt, to taste                                                   

•   3/4 cup apricot preserves mixed with 2 tablespoons soy sauce (optional for dipping)                    

Instructions:

Take wonton wrappers out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature while you mix and form the meat balls.

In a large bowl, and with clean hands, thoroughly mix the pork sausage, green onions, soy sauce, corn starch, and black pepper.

Form raw meat into tablespoon size balls (makes about 40-45 balls). Place formed meat balls onto a cookie sheet. 

(See video below for how to fold the wontons.)

Lay out a single wonton wrapper on a flat surface. Place one ball in the middle of wonton skin and wet two adjacent edges with water, fold over the meatball, and press into a triangle.  Hold triangle point down and wet right top with water; bring left point over right wet point and pinch to seal. Place folded won-tons on a cookie sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Fold all wontons before frying.

Preheat oil to about 330 degrees Fahrenheit in an old 4 quart pot or a wok. Oil should be at least 4 inches deep. Fry wontons 5-8 at a time, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between wontons. Fry until a deep golden brown color. Remove to a paper towel lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little salt. If they seem to brown too quickly and the meat is not cooked thoroughly, place them in a 325 degree oven for 5-10 minutes and they will be fine. Then turn the heat down and add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of oil to cool the oil slightly before frying the rest.

Serve hot or warm with apricot-soy sauce dipping sauce, if desired.

If you want to serve them later, cool completely, and place in freezer bag.  They will keep in the freezer for at least 1 month and you can avoid the grease-pit smell when you go to serve them.

To serve frozen wontons, place in a 325 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.  Make sure they don't get too brown.

Makes about 40-45 wontons

The basic wonton needs. I mix hot and regular sausage sometimes.

I check frequently to see if the pork is completely cooked.
These are the ones my family eats first.