Pork and Shrimp Wontons (VIDEO)

A bowl of chinese pork and shrimp wontons with chili oil and scallions.

5 from 37 votes

Pork and Shrimp Wontons (VIDEO)

My grandmother's recipe for Pork and Shrimp Wontons are THE BEST. They're juicy and springy and go perfect with my homemade chili oil!

Prep Time1

Cook Time10

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: wontons

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

1/2 lb shrimp chopped to a rough paste
1/2 lb ground pork 80% lean / 20% fat
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 inch ginger chopped
3 scallions chopped
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp msg optional
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 package wonton wrappers I used the brand 'Dynasty'

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, add the shrimp, ground pork, garlic, ginger, scallions, white pepper, kosher salt, sugar, MSG, sesame oil, shaoxing wine, and light soy sauce. Mix in one direction with your hand until the filling is combined and you can see streaks of protein along the edge of your bowl. Pick up the filling and throw it down a couple times (Da Xian) to create additional springiness and texture in the filling.
Heat a small pan over medium high heat. Add a small spoonful of filling to the pan and cook it through and remove to a plate. Taste the filling and adjust the seasoning your preference if desired.
Create an asembly line with a small bowl of water, stack of wonton wrappers covered with a damp towel, and the bowl of filling. Working with one wrapper at a time, place 1/2 tbsp of filling in the center of the wonton wrapper. Wet two adjacent sides of the wrapper with water, then fold the wrapper into a triangle and seal, making sure all air escapes from the inside of the wrapper. Once the triangle is formed, wet the two long corners of your wonton and connect them together to form a tortellini-esque shape. Place the folded wonton on a parchment paper lined baking sheet to prevent sticking. Repeat until all the filling and wonton wrappers are wrapped.
To cook the wontons, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the wontons and cook for 3-4 minutes on a high simmer (medium high) until the dumplings float. You do not want a rapid boil, otherwise the dumplings wrappers may break. Plate in a bowl and serve with chili oil, fresh scallions, and sesame seeds!

Video

Notes

I like 80% lean ground pork. The 20% of fat will help with the flavor and juiciness of the wontons! You can use any ratio of meat to fat that you prefer. You can also use another ground meat, such as ground turkey or ground chicken.

Use any size raw shrimp; it doesn’t matter the size because you’ll be roughly chopping the shrimp into a paste that will go inside the dumpling filling.

Shaoxing wine - This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.

It's OK to Use Store Bought Wrappers! -I like the brand 'Dynasty or Twin Marquis' - I find these in the refrigerated section of my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch).

Da Xian 打馅 - My grandma's SECRET to her Pork and Shrimp Wontons is a technique called Da Xian 打馅! Da Xian 打馅 basically involves slamming down the mixed filling a couple times - my grandma swore this helped provide springiness and additional texture! (Added bonus - it's a great stress reliever!)

Taste Your Filling BEFORE Wrapping - Once your filling has been mixed, take 1 tbsp and cook it in the microwave for 30 sec - 1 minute (depending on your microwave) or pan fry it on the stove for 1 minute. Taste your cooked filling and adjust any seasoning, if needed.

How to Freeze Wontons -

Once you've folded your Pork and Shrimp Wontons, take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
Lay the wontons on the baking sheet in a single layer. Make sure there is room in between each wonton so they do not stick together.
Place the baking sheet with the wontons in the freezer for AT LEAST one hour.
After one hour, you'll notice your wontons are frozen. You can now transfer them into a freezer safe bag (they can be laid on top of each other / touch each and will not freeze together).
To cook the wontons from frozen, drop the frozen wontons into boiling water. Adjust the heat to a low boil and cook for 5-7 minutes until the wontons float.

Nutrition