Szechuan wonton

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 1 small piece(s) of ginger
• 1 tsp Szechuan pepper
• 1 jar of boiling water
• 400 g minced meat, mixed
• 2 tbsp spring onion(s), the white part
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce, light
• 4 tsp rice wine (Shaoxing wine), alternatively: dry sherry
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 4 tbsp broth of water with garlic, ginger, Szechuan peppercorns
• 1 tsp vegetable broth, granulated
• ½ tsp sugar
• 2 pinch(s) pepper, white
• 40 wonton wrappers, approx. 250 g
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, light
• 2 tbsp water, boiling
• 2 tsp rice vinegar (Chinkiang vinegar), alternatively: balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp chili oil
• 2 tsp sugar
• sesame
• Spring onion(s), the green

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 10 minutes

authentic Chinese

Place the garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns in a glass of boiling water and let it steep for 30 minutes. This step isn’t necessary; you can also use plain water for the wontons. Put 4 tablespoons of this broth and all the other ingredients for the wonton filling into a bowl and stir or knead by hand (or with chopsticks) for 5 minutes until it resembles a meat paste. Let the filling steep in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Theoretically, you can make the wonton pastry yourself, but I recommend using a pack of wonton pastry from an Asian store. (250 g, approx. 40 pieces) For each wonton, take a pastry sheet and add a heaped teaspoon of the filling. Brush the edges with water using your finger (this helps seal the sides). Fold the pastry sheet into a triangle and seal it tightly. Bring the two outer tips together so that they slightly overlap and press together. If you prefer a different folding technique, you can do so; the taste will not change. It is just important to make sure that the wontons are well sealed and do not open during cooking. Depending on your practice, filling 40 dough sheets can take 30 minutes or 2 hours. If you only want to eat one portion (about 10 pieces), you can freeze the remaining wontons after filling them. To do this, first place them separately on a plate or a baking tray lined with baking paper, place them in the freezer for 60 minutes, and then transfer them to a bag. Caution: If you use a bag directly, everything will stick together! Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Be careful with Chinese chili oil! It’s often too hot for German mouths, so experiment first. Chinese people from Szechuan would use considerably more. Add the wontons to the boiling water; Be careful not to add too many, so they don’t stick together (like pasta). Stir to prevent sticking to the bottom, and cook gently for about 3-5 minutes, until the wontons float to the surface and are cooked through. Transfer the wontons to a serving bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons of boiling water into the sauce and pour the sauce over the wontons. Garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds, if desired.