Originally published on February 21, 2021
People make plans and God laughs. That’s one of my favorite sayings because it’s so true and it sometimes extends to the kitchen, as well. I found this out, once again, when I was preparing a Chinese menu and had planned on making egg rolls to go with it. Of course, because that’s what I had planned, egg roll wrappers were nowhere to be found. So, I bought some wonton wrappers and started thinking about what I could do with them. Turns out, while the shape won’t be traditional, wonton wrappers make for great dumplings. So, that’s what I made and when I placed them alongside the chicken balls, lo mein, and other Chinese goodies, no one missed the egg rolls.
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
6 green onions, finely chopped
2 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 package of wonton wrappers
Directions:
1.) In a large frying pan, heat two tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger until translucent and slightly caramalized. Add the green onions and cook just until they are softened, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.
2.) After the onion mixture has cooled, add the pork, salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Combine the mixture until it is well mixed.
3.) Fill a small dish with water and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Using your finger, dip it in the water and then “paint” a little water along two edges of one wonton wrapper. Fold the wonton wrapper over the filling and then pinch the two seams together to seal. Place the finished dumpling on the parchment paper and repeat with the remaining wrappers.
4.) At this point, you can freeze the dumplings. Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze as-is on the baking sheet. Once frozen through, the dumplings can be transferred to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, prepare from frozen and add approximately 1/3″ of water to a frying pan to ensure they cook through. To cook from fresh, continue with instructions below.
5.) Heat a nonstick frying pan with just enough oil to coat the bottom. Heat over medium-high heat. Add just enough dumplings so they are not overcrowded and do not touch each other. Brown the dumplings on one side then add approximately 1/4″ of water. Cover and steam the dumplings until the water evaporates entirely.
6.) Remove the lid and allow the dumplings to continue frying, just enough to crisp them again slightly.
7.) Remove dumplings to a plate lined with paper towel to allow them to drain slightly. Then serve alongside soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or whatever you want to dip them in!
8.) Serve and enjoy!