Mum's Crispy Fried Wontons | 炸云吞 Recipe

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My mum used to make fried wontons by the tray. She would stand by the stove frying batch after batch while the rest of us hovered around the kitchen pretending to help. In reality, we were just waiting for the moment she turned her back so we could sneak a few straight out of the pot.

Ready to deep fry...

They were always dangerously hot, but that never stopped us. Crispy, savory, and addictive, they never lasted very long once they came out of the oil.

Fried wontons are common across Chinese cooking, especially in Cantonese and southern Chinese cuisines. Traditionally, wontons are delicate dumplings served in soup, but frying them creates something entirely different.

The thin wrappers turn golden and crisp, while the filling stays juicy inside. In many overseas Chinese kitchens, these became a popular snack, appetizer, or even party food because they are easy to prepare in large batches.

My mum’s version is very simple and practical. No complicated folding techniques, no fancy sauces. Just well-seasoned filling wrapped in egg wonton wrappers and fried until golden brown.

The only rule in our house was that they had to be eaten while hot. Once they cool down, they lose that beautiful crisp texture. If you have never tried making fried wontons at home, this recipe is a great place to start.

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Ingredients:

(Serve 8)

• Fillings:

• Mum's Versatile Minced Filling Homemade, 400g

• Cabbage Finely Minced, 1 Leaf

• Crab Rangoon:

• Square Egg Wonton Wrappers, 30 Pieces Less or More

• Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, For Frying

• Sriracha / Ketchup, For Serving

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Equipment:

• Dutch Oven

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Directions:

1. Please visit my "Mum's Versatile Minced Filling" page for the recipe.

2. Prepare the filling

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the versatile minced filling with finely chopped cabbage.

4. Mix thoroughly so the cabbage is evenly distributed throughout the filling.

5. Choose the right wrappers

6. Use the yellow egg wonton wrappers for frying.

7. These wrappers are slightly thicker and crisp up beautifully when fried.

8. The white wrappers are typically used for wonton soup.

9. Wrap the wontons (crab rangoon style)

10. Place a wrapper on a clean working surface.

11. Lightly dab water around the edges of the wrapper.

12. Add a small spoonful of filling into the center.

13. Fold the wrapper in half into a rectangle.

14. Pinch the center and gently stretch the ends outward to form a crab rangoon shape.

15. Press the edges firmly to seal.

16. Alternative folding method

17. Place filling in the center of the wrapper.

18. Fold the wrapper diagonally to form a triangle.

19. Press the edges tightly to seal.

20. This simple fold is the way my mum used to do it.

21. Prepare the oil

22. Heat about 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.

23. Test the oil with a wooden chopstick.

24. If small bubbles form around the chopstick, the oil is ready for frying.

25. Fry the wontons

26. Carefully place the wontons into the hot oil.

27. Do not overcrowd the pot.

28. Move them gently so they do not stick together.

29. Fry until the wrappers turn golden brown and crisp.

30. Drain the wontons

31. Remove the fried wontons and place them on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

32. Serve

33. Serve immediately while hot and crispy with sriracha or ketchup.

    
    

Dangerously addictive...

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Recipe Video: