A10. Deep Fried Cream Cheese Wontons Recipe

Place the softened cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl and beat with a fork or small whisk until smooth and creamy.

Add the finely chopped scallions, cilantro, minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper. If using diced cooked shrimp or crab, fold it in at this stage. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning (a touch more soy or a pinch of sugar) if desired.

Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped (about 1/4 inch) for cleaner filling. Keep the filling chilled if you are not assembling immediately.

Prepare egg wash

In a small bowl whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon cold water to make an egg wash (this will act as glue for the wonton edges).

Set up an assembly station: wonton wrappers stacked, filling in piping bag, egg wash, and a clean plate for finished wontons.

Lay one wonton wrapper flat on a clean surface with a corner pointing toward you (diamond shape). Pipe or place about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center of the wrapper. Be careful not to overfill; the wrapper should be able to seal easily.

Lightly brush the edges of the wrapper with a little egg wash. Fold the wrapper in half to form a triangle, pressing gently to remove air and seal edges tightly. For a traditional pouch shape, bring the two outer corners of the triangle together, overlap slightly, brush with egg wash and press to seal, forming a small purse. Repeat until all wrappers are filled. You should get about 40–50 wontons depending on fill size.

Place assembled wontons on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes to help them set (this reduces splattering when frying).

Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches (enough to fully submerge wontons). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small piece of wrapper — it should sizzle and turn golden in about 20–30 seconds.

Fry wontons in small batches (6–8 at a time, depending on pot size) so oil temperature stays close to 350°F. Carefully lower the chilled wontons into the oil using a slotted spoon or spider and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes total.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried wontons to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. Lightly season with a pinch of kosher salt while still hot, if desired. Continue frying remaining batches, allowing oil to return to 350°F between batches.

In a small bowl combine the sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as needed. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top if using.

Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature alongside the freshly fried cream cheese wontons.