Kung Pao Chicken Wontons made Square

 This Ramazan I decided to try my hand at making Wontons. I had bookmarked this recipe a long time back from this Desi blog that I follow titled "Hunger & Haw Hai". The recipe itself was totally my style since it featured one of my favourite Chinese dishes as the basis of the filling.

Unfortunately, all my dreams of my wontons looking similar to the stunning photographs of the original recipe failed. The wonton sheets that I had gotten from a local bakery were not the right size when I cut them into smaller pieces, and it took me about 2-3 minutes to just be able to make that twisty wonton effect for just 1 wonton and I was worried about the size being too small so the filling would leak out. Looking at the clock, and the amount of wrappers in front of me, I was about to lose hope thinking that I was going to spend my entire afternoon twisting wonton wrappers. BUT, then I did a little bit of wrapping and folding, and I turned the wontons into small little parcels. So from Wontons, this recipe shifted to Kung Pao Chicken Parcels. 

Taste-wise, the wontons were delicious with the minced chicken & peanuts filling providing a welcome change from the usual Samosa's & Spring Roll filling. Looks-wise, the real wontons definitely looked prettier with the spring roll knot in a way just completing the package. But the square little parcels that I made looked quite nice too, and I am sure if anyone didn't know they were originally wontons, they could just as easily be called Kung Pao Chicken Parcels! 

The point is that sometimes we have to adapt and change our recipe a little here and there if something goes wrong, but as long as the ingredients are delicious, the end result will also be just as good :)! Have included the recipe for both wontons and parcels, so you can make whatever you want depending on the wrappers you have!

Kung Pao Chicken Wontons/Parcels 
Adapted from Hunger & Haw Hai

(makes about 30-35 wontons/parcels)

Ingredients
8 ounces (1/4 kg) minced chicken
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped (can be pulsed in a food processor as well)
2 tablespoons spring onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon ginger, finely sliced
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (adjust to taste)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
30 square wonton wrappers (the only wonton wrappers I could find find were huge square ones which I then cut into wonton size)
3-4 spring onions, cut into thin strips and wilted in boiling water
Vegetable oil, enough to come 4 inches up the side of a large pot

Method:

-For the wonton filling, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, pepper, peanuts, spring onions, ginger, garlic, and dried chili flakes.

- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and water together.
- Brush a wonton wrappers with the egg-wash and place a 1/2 tablespoon of filling into the center of the wrapper. Brush the edges with more egg-wash.
For Wontons:
- Lift all four corners of the wonton wrapper and make a pouch. Squeeze together around the top of the filling to form it to remove all the air, sealing it into the middle of the wrapper.
- Tie with a strip of wilted spring onion.
For Parcels
-  Put a piece of wilted spring onion in on top of the filling (had to subsitute since I couldn't tie the ribbon). After brushing the egg wash around the filling (I find that a silicon pastry brush is the best for this job), divide the wrapper into thirds bring the left and the right side of the wrapper in the middle over the filling. Brush a little more egg wash on the right and left side of the now rectangular wrapper. Bring both ends together in the middle, making sure that the package is all sealed. Voila, square little parcels ready! 

- Heat the oil and fry the wontons/parcels in batches, until golden and crisp from both sides, approximately 2-3 minutes.

- Drain on paper towels.

- Serve hot with Chilli Sauce.