Mama Lim’s Homemade Wontons (with Video!)

Growing up I was spoiled with my mom’s amazing Chinese food. We usually had a 4 course meal at dinner every night. Don’t know how she did it after working an 8-9 hour day, but she did and fed us well.

Recently, my mother and I got together to make her special homemade wontons. We loved wontons growing up, especially with noodles. It’s one of those things that become a comfort food.

Traditionally, Chinese wontons should be made of minced (ground) pork. My mother always makes wontons with minced (ground) pork and prawns (shrimp). However, we wanted to try with chicken. Why? It’s just because we don’t eat much pork these days.

I took pictures of the step by step process of how she makes them.

Let me know if you have any questions. If I can’t answer them, my mom will have the answer for sure!

The filling consists of minced (ground) chicken thighs, chinese mushrooms, spring (green) onions, water chestnuts, pickled vegetables and seasonings. They are freezer friendly. I simply place them onto a tray sprinkled with flour, not touching each other and freeze until frozen. Once they are frozen, transfer to a re-sealable freezer bag or container, and freeze until needed. Cook from frozen by dropping them into hot water, stock (broth) or soup. Boil for 3-4 min if not frozen. If frozen, boil for 6-7minutes. You can also fry these when fresh to make a delicious appetizer.

Makes about 90-100

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped until minced (ground) in a food processor
• (We also used organic ground beef)
• 1 T Chinese pickled  vegetables
• 2 ½ T light soy sauce
• 3 T sesame oil
• 2 t finely chopped ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 t cracked black pepper
• 5 dried black mushrooms, soaked in warm water and finely diced
• 3 spring (green) onions, finely sliced
• 1 (8 oz) tin water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 1 pinch chili flakes (optional)
• 90-100 wonton skins (about two packets)
• 1 egg – for sealing wontons
• 1/4 cup of flour to put on tray so wontons don’t stick

Instructions:

1. Place chopped chicken,  chinese pickled vegetables, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, black pepper, chinese mushrooms, onions, water chestnuts, chili flakes into a large bowl. With clean hands blend the mixture thoroughly.

2. Divide the meat mixture and use to fill the wonton skins, sealing with lightly beaten egg. Just seal from corner to corner.
(Watch video below)

3. Place them on a baking tray with flour sprinkled on bottom so they don’t stick to pan.

4. Boil noodles, add a chinese veggie (ie. bok choy), cooked wontons, garnish with green onion. Freeze/refrigerate remaining wontons

5. ENJOY and be HAPPY! =D