Spicy Small Wontons
Mini wontons are a beloved Chinese snack — a quick, savory bowl combining meat, vegetables, and broth in one simple, delicious package. Perfect for breakfast, an afternoon bite, or a late-night meal.
In Nanjing, "Want chili oil?" is practically a rite of passage: vendors call it out to every passing customer, and while outsiders may be puzzled, locals instantly recognize the question. Wontons can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere in the city — from humble street stalls and small workshops to grand restaurants — and are served from morning to night.
Because store-bought versions are often loaded with MSG and chicken bouillon, and the quality of the filling can be questionable, I prefer to grind and wrap my own wontons at home, so my family can eat with confidence.
Ingredients
egg
1
leafy greens
1 small handful
small wontons
18
dried shrimp
a pinch
chopped scallions
a pinch
salt
1 small spoonful
lard
1 small spoonful
mala chili oil
1 tbsp
Instructions
1
Step 1
Prepare all ingredients. To save time, the egg was boiled the night before.
2
Step 2
Wrapping small wontons is very quick: take a small amount of ground pork and place it at one corner of the wonton wrapper. For these small wontons, too much filling makes them taste bad; the pork is minced in advance, then mixed with a little salt, scallion, ginger and water to form a meat paste. Wonton wrappers can be bought pre-made.
3
Step 3
Hold the filling, roll and fold the wrapper, then tuck the edges to form the wonton. You can wrap many in one minute.
4
Step 4
Place the wrapped small wontons on a non-stick baking tray. Put the remaining ones with the tray in the freezer to freeze, then transfer to a bag for storage. Take them out directly before eating and cook in boiling water, very convenient.
5
Step 5
First prepare the soup base: add salt, dried shrimp, lard and mala chili oil to a bowl, pour in boiling water and stir to mix. If you use bone broth or chicken broth, it will be more fragrant, and you can skip adding lard.
6
Step 6
When the water in the pot comes to a boil, first add the washed leafy greens. Wait for the water to boil again, then add the small wontons, cover the pot and turn to high heat.
7
Step 7
After boiling, add a few drops of cold water to shock the broth.
8
Step 8
Wait for it to boil again, then turn off the heat once all the small wontons float to the surface.
9
Step 9
Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out into the serving bowl.
10
Step 10
Top with the boiled egg, sprinkle with chopped scallions. If you have shredded pickled mustard tuber, add some for extra flavor.
11
Step 11
One bite at a time, delicious and refreshing.
