Sichuanese Wontons in Chilli Oil Sauce (Hong You Chao Shou) Recipe

Sichuanese Wontons in Chilli Oil Sauce (Hong You Chao Shou) Recipe

  • 1/2 oz (20g) piece of ginger, unpeeled
  • 5 oz (150g) ground pork
  • 1/2 egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • Salt
  • Ground white pepper
  • 3 tbsp chicken stock
  • 3 tbsp finely sliced spring onion greens
  • 7 oz (200g) package of wonton wrappers
  • Flour, to dust
  • 3-4 tbsp sweet aromatic soy sauce, or 3-4 tbsp light or tamari soy sauce with 1 1/2-2 tsp sugar
  • 5-6 tbsp chilli oil, with its sediment
  • 2-4 heaped tsp crushed garlic
  • 2 tbsp finely sliced spring onion greens
  1. Crush the ginger with the flat of a cleaver or a rolling pin and put it in a cup with just enough cold water to cover. Place the pork, egg, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil in a bowl with 1 1/2 tsp of the ginger water and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Mix in the stock, 1 tbsp at a time. Finally, add the spring onion greens.
  2. Fill a small bowl with cold water. Take a wonton wrapper and lay it flat in one hand. Use a table knife or a small spatula to press about 1 tsp of the pork mixture into the center of the wrapper. Dip a finger into the cold water, run it around the edges of the wrapper and fold it diagonally in half. Press the edges tightly together and lay on a flour-dusted tray or large plate.
  3. Bring a large pan of water to a boil over a high heat. While you are waiting for the water to boil, prepare three or four serving bowls. In each bowl, place 1 tbsp sweet aromatic soy sauce (or 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce and 1/2 tsp sugar), 1 1/2 tbsp chilli oil with sediment and 1/2-1 heaped tsp of crushed garlic to taste.
  4. When the water has come to a boil, drop in the wontons. Stir gently to make sure they do not stick together. When the water returns to a rolling boil, pour in a small cup of cold water to calm it down. Repeat this one more time. When the water has come to a boil for the third time, the wontons should be cooked through (cut one open to make sure). Remove the wontons with a slotted spoon, drain well, and divide between the prepared serving bowls. Scatter each bowl with some of the spring onion greens. Serve immediately, stirring everything together before digging in.