Wontons
So, these are completely inauthentic wontons! I’ve kind-of turned wontons into a way to use up whatever veggies in the fridge look like they need to get used up (or to use the overlooked parts of other vegetables, like broccoli stems and greens). Because of that, this is going to be less of a “recipe” than it is a general guide to what I’ve been doing.
In general, I have three parts veg to one part protein.
Some veggies to mix and match:
- Onion and garlic (always)
- Shallots and scallions are good too
- Cabbage or kohlrabi
- Carrots
- Broccoli (especially those greens)
- Mushrooms
- Ginger
- Kale
- Whatever else you’ve got on hand
If you’re using meat, I would suggest cooking it in advance so you can taste the filling as you go (and don’t have to worry so much about cooking times for the assembled wontons).
I don’t do the meat thing, so here are some proteins I’ve enjoyed:
- Tofu (pre-flavored teriyaki or sriracha tofu is awesome)
- Seitan
- Rehydrated TVP (fun fact: if you mix vegetarian ‘chicken’ and ‘beef’ broth, about 50/50, you can make a decent vegetarian approximation of ground pork).
And of course, the flavor gauntlet:
- Soy sauce
- Salt & pepper
- Rice vinegar
- Powdered ginger
- Something sweet (mirin, sugar, etc)
- Something spicy (sriracha, chili garlic paste, etc.)
- Something umami (fish sauce, msg)
Cook your veggies, starting with the onion family first, then adding the rest. Add salt at multiple stages of cooking to develop your flavors. Add in your meat and the rest of your seasonings here.
Once your filling is ready, load it into wonton wrappers. I do it until I run out of filling (oh no gotta make more to use up these wrappers) or until I run out of wrappers (oh no now I gotta make some rice to eat with this delicious leftover filling). Then, cook them
To fry: Put some oil in a pan over medium-high and cook until golden brown and crispy.
To bake: brush with oil, then bake in a 425F oven for about 12-15 minutes.
To soup: Make a broth (chicken-type flavors are good here) and add soy sauce, ginger, and scallions. Once it’s simmering, stick your wontons in there and let them simmer for a bit.
Then, you have food! Eat the food!