Vegan Wontons

These are time-consuming - but this recipe makes enough to freeze and eat later, and eat later, and eat later. I usually end up with about 100 wontons. You can fry them in a tiny amount of oil (just to coat the pan); use them for wonton soup; or steam them. And they are sooooo good!

I like them fried or steamed with sweet chili sauce - the best we've found is the Ginger People's Sweet Ginger Chili sauce (at Whole Foods of course). Here they are with some edamame.


Here's the recipe and I've included some tips...

Vegan Wontons
1 brick extra firm tofu
1 bunch fresh spinach (1 bag)
1 can bean sprouts
3 tbsp sliced green onion
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. ginger, finely diced
1 tsp. five spice powder
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. crushed sesame seeds
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
2-3 packages of wonton wrappers (usually found in the produce section)

Directions
1. Press/drain tofu for 20 minutes

2. Blanch spinach by placing in boiling water for 2 min, removing and putting in an ice bath. Drain by squeezing in a towel. Cut spinach into small pieces.

3. Blanch the bean sprouts the same way. (You can even use the same water). Do NOT Cut!

4. Add spinach, tofu, bean sprouts, and all other ingredients except wonton wrappers to a large bowl. Mix well using your hands.

5. Put the stack of wonton wrappers on a floured cutting board, keeping a wet paper towel over the open package. Place a small bowl of water on the cutting board.

Lay out a piece of wax or parchment paper on top of a cooling rack. This is where you'll place the finished wontons. Here's a sample setup: (The caffeine and children's book are optional)


6. Place small tbsp of filling in the middle of a wrapper. Use your finger to wet two sides of the wrapper, then fold the wrapper in half forming a triangle. Press to seal and eliminate air pockets.

7. Fold two corners together and use a bit of water to seal the corners together.



8. Freeze or cook immediately. To cook: Fry in a small amount of vegetable oil; steam in a steamer basket; or add to broth for soup. If fried or steamed, try serving with sweet chili sauce.

If freezing - once you fill up one cooling rack, place the whole rack in the freezer - that way each wonton freezes individually and they don't stick together. Lay out another piece of wax paper and when that one is full, place it on top of the other in the freezer. It usually takes about 30 min for them to freeze solid - then place them into freezer bags. I usually put about 16 in each bag - enough for 2 servings.