Spicy Szechuan Wontons Food

SICHUAN SPICY WONTONS

Steps:

• Next, add all of the wonton filling ingredients to a bowl (everything from the pork to the white pepper) and whip everything together by hand for 5 minutes or in a food processor for 1 minute. You want the pork to look a little bit like a paste.
• To make the wontons, take a wrapper, and add about a teaspoon of filling. Use your finger to coat the edges with water or egg wash (this helps the two sides seal together).
• Fold the wonton in half so you have a rectangle shape. Bring together the two outer corners so they overlap slightly, add another drop of water or egg wash, and press to seal.
• Keep assembling until all the filling is gone, which should make you about 18 wontons. Like all wonton recipes, you can double or triple the batch, eat some, then freeze the rest for another day. Place the wontons on a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
• Boil a pot of water for the wontons. While the water is coming to a boil, make the sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. If you like spicy, add more of the chili peppers and not just the oil from your homemade chili oil. This recipe makes enough for 18 or 20 wontons.
• Give the boiling water a good stir and drop the wontons in, being careful not to crowd them. Continue stirring so they do not stick. Adjust the heat to achieve a low boil, and cook the wontons for about 2 minutes or until the wrappers begin to look translucent. I like mine a little bit al dente, so I take them out right at 2 minutes when they float to the top.
• Use a slotted spoon to drain the water and transfer the wontons to a serving bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the boiling water into your sauce, then pour the sauce over the wontons. Garnish with scallion if using and serve!

SICHUAN SPICY WONTON IN RED OIL (红油抄手)

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients for the aromatic water in a small bowl. Stir to mix well and let infuse for 20 minutes. Strain and discard all the solid ingredients.
• Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to mix well.
• Add the minced pork into a medium-sized bowl. Add the aromatic water, egg, cornstarch, and white pepper powder. Mix until it forms a smooth and sticky paste.
• Work on the wontons one at a time. Place about half a teaspoon of filling (or 1 teaspoon filling for bigger wontons) on the lower third of the wrapper. Fold the bottom side over the filling, then roll the filling all the way across to the other side of the wrapper. Brush a thin layer of egg white on one end of the wonton wrapper. Bind both ends and press them together to lock the filling inside the wrapper. Place on a big plate, a finger's width apart.
• When you've finished 10 to 15 wontons, cover them with a wet paper towel to prevent them from drying out.
• If you are not going to cook and serve the wontons immediately, you can store them in the fridge for a day, or freeze them for up to a month. Seal the tray of wontons with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. When the wontons are completely frozen, you can transfer them to an airtight ziplock bag to free up freezer space.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the wontons, 20 at a time. Stir gently with a spatula constantly, to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. Cook until the wontons are floating on top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer 7 to 8 wontons into each bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons of the sauce, and 2 tablespoons of the hot broth used to boil the wontons, and serve.
• Mix the wontons well to coat them with sauce. Enjoy!
• If you are not going to cook and serve the wontons immediately, you can store them in the fridge for a day, or freeze them for up to a month. Seal the tray of wontons with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. When the wontons are completely frozen, you can transfer them to an airtight ziplock bag to free up freezer space.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add wontons. Stir gently to prevent from sticking. Cook until bringing the water to a boil again. Turn to medium low heat. Cover the pot with a small gap on one side, to prevent from boiling over. Continue boiling for 2 minutes (3 minutes for larger wontons). Stand beside the pot the entire time and monitor the broth. If the broth starts to boil over, uncover and stir, then replace the cover. Uncover, continue cooking for another minute, or until the wontons are cooked through.

SPICY SZECHUAN PEANUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.
• Transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid (keeps 1 week, chilled; or distribute among 3 small containers and freeze what you don’t want to use within a week).
• To use: Boil 1 lb Asian noodles or spaghetti until al dente.
• Toss with ¾ cup of sauce (or more to taste), finely chopped scallions and chopped peanuts.
• Note: In the winter, I eat these noodles hot.
• In summer I rinse under cold water, cool and drain and serve them as a spicy noodle salad, often adding shredded bok choy, carrots, snowpeas, lots more of the peanut sauce, etc.