Vegan Sichuan Wontons w/ Spicy Oyster Mushrooms + Lime Ginger Garlic Dipping Sauce
Difficulty: 3/5 (5 being hardest)
Spice Level: 2/3 (3 being spiciest)
Prep & Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Servings: 6
The Challenge: Wontons
So full confession. This recipe was a MISTAKE. Yep - it happens. Lot of mistakes never make it here :( Oh Cubano sandwich … I’ll conquer you one day.
With that said, I meant to make potstickers. I was super pumped. Planned my recipe. Planned some shots. Went to my massive grocery store and accidentally picked up … wonton wrappers. To anyone not familiar, the two are different! Potstickers are much thinner + circular. That gives them that crimped look.
Wonton wrappers are thicker and square. Not a huge issue though. My potstickers suddently became wontons. Wontons though are typically more crispy. I wanted that softer, pan seared dumpling…so I said screw it. I’m going to do everything the same and use wonton wrappers.
Well, it created a frikin MASTERPIECE. From these amazingly warm, spicy, and flavorful dumplings to the dipping sauce that I COULD DRINK. These wontons are fantastic. Absolutely and utterly amazing! We pack them full of ooyster mushrooms, spices, fresh ginger, cabbage, watermelon radish, and more.
Then, we wrap it in a blanket of wonton yumminess. Finally, we use an effective pan sear quick steam method too crisp the edges and then steam to soften the wrapper. What do you get?
VEGAN SICHUAN WONTONS!! We combine several elements of traditional Sichuan cuisine with my own craziness to create deliciousness.
In the end, you have piping hot delicious dumplings that you can eat all yourself or share with a few friends!
Let's get into it!
Ingredients:
Potsticker Filling
2 tsp sesame oil + 1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vegan butter
1/2 cup onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbl fresh ginger, grated
2.5 cups oyster mushrooms, diced small
1/2 cup bell peppers, diced small
pinch of salt, pepper, and fennel
2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup watermelon radish, diced small
1/4 cup green onion, diced
handful of cilantro, chopped
2 tbl liquid aminos (soy sauce)
pinch of ginger powder + cinnamon
pinch of ground Sichuan peppercorn (optional)
1 tbl rice vinegar
Lime Ginger Garlic Sauce
1/4 cup liquid aminos
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tbl fresh ginger, grated
1 tbl rice vinegar
2 tbl chopped cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbl sriracha or other Asian hot sauce
2 tbl water
pinch of coconut sugar
Other
wonton wrappers
extra sesame oil + vegan butter
1-2 cups of water
Equipment You'll Need:
Mixing Bowls . Sharp Chopping Knife . Measuring Cups + Spoons . Cutting Board . Large Frying Pan . Large Mixing Bowl . Small Mixing Bowl . Whisk . Spoon . Baking Sheet . Bowl of Water
Before You Cook:
Wash and chop fresh ingredients
1. To start, add 2 tsp sesame oil + butter for the filling to a large frying pan (could use a wok on medium low heat) over medium heat. Heat for 60 seconds. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, peppers, salt, pepper, and fennel. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until mushrooms start to soften.
2. Next, add the cabbage and radish. Add 1-2 tbl of water to soften things up. Cook for 6-7 minutes. Set aside. Let it cool for 5-6 minutes.
3. While the mixture cools, whisk together the ingredients for your dipping sauce. If too salty, add more lime or hot sauce. If too sour, add more sugar or hot sauce.
4. Next, mix in the rest of the wonton filling ingredients + 1 tsp sesame oil.
5. To set up your station, line wonton wrappers on a clean baking sheet. Grab a small bowl of water. You’ll need a tablespoon as well. Scoop 1 tbl of the filling onto the wrappers. You can do all of them on the sheet at one time. You’ll do a couple rounds.
6. To form the wontons, wet your finger and run it along two connected edges of the wrapper. Fold the non-wet edges over so they line up with the wetted edges. Then use your fingers to seal it. If the filling busts, try to use your finger to scoop it in or you have too much!
7. To finish the wontons, add to a large frying pan with 2 tsp of sesame oil + 1 tsp of neutral oil. Fry for 4 minutes over medium heat then add 1/4 cup of water and steam for another 4 minutes until the water is evaporated. This process pan fries and steams it.
8. Serve with sauce + enjoy!
