Medicated Sichuan-Style Spicy Wontons
Though my family identifies as Taiwanese, my grandfather was born in the Sichuan province of China before escaping the communists to Taiwan during The Chinese Revolution of 1949. The Sichuanese are known for their málà spices–a combination of chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and aromatics to create an addictive tingly sensation in the mouth. I credit my love of spicy food to my grandpa; I even have a tattoo of a chili pepper in remembrance of all the delicious meals we’ve had together. These Sichuan wontons (红油抄手), taken from the family cookbook, are stuffed with minced pork, Chinese chives, and drenched in a vibrant chili oil before serving. These wontons can be made ahead of time in large batches and stored in the freezer; ready for a quick snack when the munchies hit.
Sichuan-Style Spicy Wontons
Serves 6
Ingredients for Wontons
• 1 lb ground pork
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp cane sugar
• 1 tsp white pepper, ground
• 1 ½ oz Chinese chives, chopped
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 40 square wonton wrappers
Ingredients for Sauce
• ¼ cup Sous Weed Chili Oil
• ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorn, ground
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 Tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• ⅓ cup cilantro, rough chop
• 2 Tbsp peanuts, rough chop
Directions
1. To make wonton filling, combine ground pork, salt, sugar, white pepper, Chinese chives, garlic, and Shaoxing wine in a medium bowl and knead until uniform, about 1 minute.
2. To form the wontons, set a wrapper on your work surface in the shape of a diamond. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Gently moisten the edge of the wrapper with water. Dry your hands before folding one corner of the wonton wrapper up to form a triangle. Seal the edges, pushing all air out as you work. Pull the left and right corners together and pinch to seal. Transfer wonton onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until finished.
3. To make the sauce, combine medicated chili oil, ground Sichuan pepper, toasted sesame oil, Chinkiang vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside until ready to serve.
4. To cook, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 12 wontons in to cook, about 4 minutes. Cooked wontons should float. Drain wontons and transfer to serving bowls.
5. Spoon the spicy sauce on top and make sure all wontons are covered. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and chopped peanuts.
