BIG Wontons (Cantonese Style with Crab Meat, Shrimp & Pork )

Wontons are little pockets of joy! Growing up in Hong Kong, I chowed down on these guys all the time. They are not that hard to make BUT as there is a lot of preparation, it takes quite a bit of time to get them ready for the whole family. Most people make them on the weekend with the kids while having lots of laughter. It is kinda like making cookies here with little kids, lots of fun! I especially enjoy making them during Chinese New Year. It's a very welcoming dish to serve to the guests!

The fillings for the wontons are a little bit different every time I make them, depending on my mood. Basic ingredients would be the ground pork and wonton skin.  Tonight, I felt like having seafood, so I added crab meat and shrimp to the filling as well.

Ingredients:

Ground Pork (1 lb - half lean, half regular)

Minced Ginger (1 teaspoon - minced and mashed, use a food processor if necessary)

Medium Shrimp (1/4-1/2 lb - peeled, chopped and mashed. Set aside in a separate bowl)

Crab Meat (1/4 lb - chopped)

Wonton Wrapper - Cantonese style (1 pack, about 50 square sheets)
Silken Tofu (mashed-1/2 a block)

Cabbage (1/8 lb - washed and chopped)

A-Choy/Lettuce (1/4 lb - washed and separated)-see picture below for "A-Choy" available in most Asian supermarkets

Marinade:

Light Soy Sauce (8 tablespoons)
Dark Soy Sauce (5 tablespoons) 

Rice vinegar (2 tablespoons)

Rice wine/Sherry (2 tablespoons)

Sugar (1 tablespoon)

Sesame oil (2 tablespoons)
Dipping for wontons: red rice vinegar

Dipping for A-Choy/lettuce: a bit of hot vegetable oil and oyster sauce

Step 1: Mix marinade, tofu and crab meat with ground pork in a large bowl.

Step 2: Have a small bowl of cool water on the side for sealing the edges of the wonton. Start wrapping as shown below (Tips: do not over-stuff, it will burst and break the wonton skin!)

 

(a) Put a little filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper (leave a little room at corners)

 

(b) Fold the wonton wrapper over to form a triangle. Press around the edge with a bit of water.

(c) Pull the left and right corners together. Press the corners with a little water to seal the wonton.

Step 3: Repeat the same steps until you make enough for everyone. (Tips: wontons freeze well. Put them in 2 zip-lock sandwich bags. No need to thaw out, just boil them in hot broth)

Step 4: Boil up some chicken broth and water (half and half). Dump in some wontons gently over high heat. Make sure wontons are completely immersed into the liquid. When wontons are done, they will float to the top. Let them boil 5 more minutes.Test one to make sure it's completely cooked through.

Step 5: Add A-Choy/Lettuce and boil for about 3 minutes.

Step 6: Turn off heat. Scoop and drain wontons and A-Choy/lettuce. Plating as shown in picture below. Sprinkle spring onions on wontons and pour a little Chinese oyster sauce onto the A-choy/lettuce. Serve immediately!

Enjoy!!