Spicy Chili Wontons

Ingredients

• Approximately 80 wonton wrappers

Filling

• 4 inch piece ginger, unpeeled
• 1 pound finely ground pork
• 1 chopped green onion
• Chopped cilantro
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Salt

• White or black pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken stock

To serve in chili oil sauce

• 1 part red chili oil
• 1 part chicken broth
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon chili paste
• Drizzle of Sesame oil
• Sichuan peppercorns
• Chopped green onion.

Directions

Make the Filling

1. Cut the Ginger into 1 inch pieces and then crush the ginger with the flat side of a cleaver or heavy object and leave to soak for a few minutes in 1/2 cup cold water.
2. Place ground pork in a bowl and add the beaten egg, cilantro, green onion, Shaoxing wine, ginger-soaking water (pieces discarded), sesame oil, salt and pepper. Mix well, using your hand to stir the stuffing in one direction, then add the stock in several stages, making sure each batch has been fully absorbed by the meat before you continue. Fried a small piece of meat mixture to taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed.

Fill and Shape wontons

1. For each wonton wrapper, drop a teaspoon or so of meat filling and fold the wrapper diagonally to form a triangle. You may need to moisten the edges to seal the wrapper. Then, take the right and left tips of the triangle and seal them together.
2. Place on floured tea towel.

To Cook Wontons

1. Bring a generous pot of water to boil. In batches, drop in some dumplings into the boiling water and boil/simmer until dumplings are cooked through. Scoop out and drain. You may want to lightly toss cooked dumplings in oil to prevent sticking.

To serve in chili oil sauce

1. In a dry pan, toast Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant. Grind coarsely.
2. In a bowl, mix together red chili oil, chicken broth, minced garlic, chili paste, Sichuan peppercorns and sesame oil.
3. Place cooked wontons in serving dish and drizzle with chili sauce. Sprinkle with chopped green onion.