Szechuan Wontons (10) Recipe

Prepare filling

In a medium bowl combine ground pork, chopped shrimp, finely sliced green onions (reserve a little green onion for garnish), grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper and cornstarch. Mix with a spoon or chop with a cleaver until mixture becomes slightly sticky and well combined (about 1–2 minutes). Stir in the lightly beaten egg to bind.

Portion wrappers

Place a wonton wrapper on a clean work surface. Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Put about 1 teaspoon (roughly 8–10 g) of filling in the center of each wrapper. Do not overfill.

Fold wontons

Brush the edges of the wrapper with a little water. Fold wrapper in half to make a triangle, pressing edges to seal tightly and remove air. Bring the two opposite corners together and press to form a little purse (or leave as triangle/square if preferred). Repeat until you have 30–40 small wontons. (Quantity provided is for 10 servings; yield ~30–40 small wontons — for exactly 10 larger wontons use proportionally larger filling per wrapper.)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to come 1/4 inch (6–8 mm) up the side for shallow frying (about 150–250 ml depending on pan). Heat until shimmering but not smoking (about 170–180°C / 340–355°F).

Working in batches, carefully place wontons into the hot oil without crowding. Fry 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to turn and remove. Drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Keep warm in a low oven (100°C / 210°F) while you finish remaining batches.

Toast and infuse

Lightly toast Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until aromatic; grind finely with a mortar and pestle (or spice grinder). If using whole dried chilies, briefly toast them and crush into flakes or small pieces.

Combine sauce

In a small heatproof bowl whisk together chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, dark soy (if using), sugar, minced garlic and minced ginger. Add the ground Szechuan pepper and crushed chilies. Stir in 30 ml hot water to loosen and bloom flavors. Taste and adjust — add more vinegar for tang, more chili oil for heat, or 1/2 tsp sugar if it needs balance.

Warm gently (optional)

For a slightly cooked garlic/ginger flavor, briefly microwave the sauce for 15–20 seconds or warm it in a small saucepan over low heat for 30 seconds, then remove from heat.

Place fried wontons on a serving platter. Drizzle the prepared Szechuan sauce over the wontons (or serve sauce on the side for dipping).

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions and chopped cilantro over the top. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.