Chinese New Year is fast approaching, and what better way to celebrate than by making some fried wontons as a snack during the festivities? I will share the fried wonton recipe using store-bought wrappers in this article.

Since there will be plenty of kitchen work during this special occasion, I will not make the wonton wrappers from scratch. Instead, I will spend more time with my friends and family, enjoying the Chinese New Year.

I will stick to the simple recipe primarily based on what most wonton noodle restaurants in Hong Kong follow.  The main ingredients are a combination of shrimp and ground pork. I will also add some green onions but not add things like cabbage or Chinese chive in this fried wonton recipe. 

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1. How to make the wonton filling

There is no rigid rule on what to include in the wonton filing, but most Cantonese like to make pork wontons and shrimp wontons. I will use a mix of both in this fried wonton recipe.

Besides the traditional filings I use, you can creatively put anything you like as the filling. Some popular ingredients are Chinese chives, sesame seeds, water chestnuts, and even cream cheese. Lastly, substitute the ground pork with ground chicken meat if you do not eat pork.

Below are the steps to prepare the wonton filing:

1. Mince the pork with some fat.
2. Soak the shrimp in salt water and with some baking soda for ten minutes. It helps to turn the shrimp meat into crunchy. After that, rinse with water and cut them into small pieces.
3. Mix with the chopped green onions and the seasonings:  light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ground white pepper, sesame oil,  salt, and cornstarch.

Note: This is a simplified version of wonton. For a more authentic wonton recipe, please refer to the article on this food blog, which provides a more complex recipe deal for making Hong Kong-style soup noodles.

2. An easy way to wrap the wontons

Wonton wrappers are thinner than egg roll wrappers or dumpling wrappers. Please read the labels carefully before you purchase them. You should get it in the refrigerator section in most local grocery stores or Asian markets.

Since the wonton wrappers are quite fragile, please handle them carefully and cover them with a damp cloth or plastic wrap after removing them from the packaging, as they can quickly become dry and brittle.

Steps to wrap the wontons

Wrapping the wontons is very easy. The easiest way is to place a small spoonful of the filling at the center of the wonton skin (wrapper). Then, squeeze and fold all the edges of the wrappers and join together. This will likely be the shape you are familiar with if you get from  Chinese restaurants, as they want to make them as fast as possible.

Since you are making it yourself at home, you can put more effort into making it even prettier.  What you can do is, after placing the filling right at the center, fold the corner of one end to join with the other corner of the opposite corner. This way, it will form a perfect triangle shape. After that, join both of the opposite ends of the triangle together. 

Tip to wrap the wontons

Whatever shape you want to make, there are two basic techniques that you need to follow. The first is to squeeze out all the air between the filling and the wrapper. This way will remove all the possible air pockets inside the filling, which can cause the wontons to break during deep-frying. The second important step is to constitute a thick cornstarch slurry as gum to stick the wrapper together while folding. This step will help ensure the wrapper does not open up during deep frying.

3. Deep-fry the wontons

Fill the deep fryer or a large wok with vegetable oil, peanut oil, or any other oil with high smoking points suitable for deep-frying. The depth of the oil should be at least about 1 inch deep.

When the oil temperature has reached medium-high heat, place the wontons carefully into the hot oil and deep-fried for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden. Do not move the wontons around in the hot oil for the first half a minute, as you want to wait until the wrapper starts to harden. After that, you can use a chopstick to lightly push them around and turn them over to ensure they are evenly cooked.

After all the wontons have turned golden brown, remove them immediately from the hot oil with a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Transfer them to a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

Note: 

• You can use the air fryer to fry the wontons.  It will save you a lot of oil and be healthier as you may only need one to two teaspoons. The main difference is that they will not be as crispy as deep-fried in hot oil.
• If you do not like deep frying the wontons, you can use them to make wonton noodle soup. I have a separate article about wonton soup, which you can refer to.

4. Make a dipping sauce for the wontons

These wontons are so crispy and delightful that they can be served without dipping sauce. However, most restaurants will serve with a dipping sauce since they are quite dry. If you want to save time and make it simple, purchase some sweet chili sauce as the dipping sauce. Otherwise, follow the instructions below to make a simple Sichuan-style dipping sauce. 

1. Combine the two tablespoons of light soy sauce, two tablespoons of Chinese black vinegar, two teaspoons of Sichuan chili oil, one teaspoon of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl.
2. Stir until all the sugar and salt are melted. 

That is the simple homemade Sichuan-style sauce for your crispy fried wontons.

5. How to store the fried wontons

Since I make these wontons in advance, I intend to keep them in the freezer and only deep-fry them during the Chinese New Year. 

To do that, after wrapping all the wontons, arrange them in a single layer in a baking tray lined with a baking sheet.  Then, place in the freezer until all the wontons are frozen. After that, remove them from the freezer and transfer them to an airtight container or Ziploc bag. By doing so, the wontons will not stick together and can be kept in the freezer for more than a month.

To enjoy this delicious appetizer, remove it from the freezer and deep fry the frozen wontons directly in hot oil. There is no need to wait until the wontons return to room temperature before deep-frying.

6. Other related recipes to the deep-fried crispy wontons

If you love this fried wonton recipe, I want to introduce you to other recipes featured on this food blog.

• Wonton soap is one of the most popular Chinese noodles available. Since part of my family lives in Hong Kong, I have savored the best wonton noodles available. Here is the original recipe for preparing the authentic Hong Kong wonton noodles.
• If you like dim sum,  here is my recipe for preparing a famous dim sum called shumai.