Vietnamese Shrimp and Pork Wontons (Hoanh Thanh Tom Thit)
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Shrimp & Pork Wonton (Hoành Thánh Tôm Thịt)
These Vietnamese pork and shrimp wontons are packed full of flavor, super juicy, and quick to cook. You just need to set aside some time for wrapping.
Enjoy them on their own, in clear broth, in noodle soups, or fried as a crispy appetizer.
This recipe makes about 50 wontons, using one whole pack of wontons that you typically get at the store. They freeze well so consider doubling the recipe and save your future self the trouble.
Shrimp and Pork Wonton (Hoành Thánh Tôm Thịt)
What are Wontons?
Wontons are type of Chinese dumplings. Hoành Thánh is its Vietnamese equivalent.
Wontons have a thinner and more delicate skin compared to pot stickers and typically comes in squares.
There are many ways to make and cook wontons. They can be made with various types of ground meats or vegetarian options like tofu. They can be boiled, steamed, pan-fried, air-fried, or deep-fried.
What You Will Need
To make wontons, gather the following ingredients:
Ground pork: Ground pork is the most common protein filling for wontons. If you cannot or do not want to eat pork, you can substitute with another ground meat, such as ground turkey, ground chicken, and even crumbled tofu.
Shrimp: Minced shrimp adds additional flavor to the ground pork. Shrimp usually goes hand-in-hand with ground pork in Asian wontons. Any size shrimp will work since we are chopping these up. Get them already peeled, deveined without tail for a faster prep.
Jicama: Vietnamese wontons typically include jicama. Not only does it provide a natural sweetness, but it also provides a subtle crunch. The unexpected crunch makes people ask what’s in it. That is where I have a little fun with my answers. Fried crickets? Human fetuses? The list of possibilities is endless.
For more of a Chinese version, consider garlic chives. For a more easy to find vegetable, you can use bok choy or cabbage.
Green onions/scallions: for a refreshing pop of color. If you are using garlic chives, skip the green onions.
Seasonings: To season the filling, you will need oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, ground black pepper, and sesame oil.
Black pepper, chicken bouillon powder, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sugar
Wonton Wrappers: Store-bought wonton wrappers is the way to go. It’s convenient and it’s uniform in shape and size, making cooking even and easy.
I don’t have a preference for wonton wrappers. Simply whatever is on sale or available will do. Some are more yellow than others.
I have tried Dynasty and Twin Marquis and both are equally good. These are usually readily available in the refrigerated section of Asian supermarkets.
Twin Marquis Hong Kong Style Wonton Wrapper
Make the Wonton Filling
To make the filling, start with coarsely chopping the shrimp or pulse them in a food processor for a finer texture. The consistency is entirely up to you.
Combine chopped shrimp, ground pork, jicama, green onions, and seasonings in a bowl. Mix in one direction with your hand or with a pair of chopsticks until a sticky paste forms.
Optional Pro-Tip: To make it springy and bouncy that is similar to restaurant-style wontons, pick the mixture up and slam it down a few times into the bowl. Imagine the bottom of the bowl as the face of your high school “friend” who constantly asks why you are so quiet and have some fun with it.
Taste-test the filling to your preference. Don’t test it raw! Take about a teaspoon of filling and microwave it in a bowl (about 30 seconds) or pan-fry it on the stovetop (about 1 minute). Adjust to your taste, if needed.
Wrapping Wontons
Once you are happy with the seasoning, it’s wrapping time. Prepare a small bowl of room temperature water for sealing the wontons.
Place the most floured side of the wonton down.
Add a teaspoon of filling on one half of the wrapper. Using your finger or a brush, wet the other half of the wonton wrapper with water.
Fold it over to create a triangle shape. Make sure to push out any air pockets, then pinch the seams firmly to seal them. If you prefer something fancier, add some folds or pleats, and you will have a wonton resembling a cute pouch.
Wontons ready for cooking
Cooking Wontons
I prefer to boil the wontons. But you can also steam, pan fry, air fry, and deep fry them.
To boil wontons: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add wontons (either fresh or frozen). Give it a quick stir to prevent the wontons from sticking together then cook until they all float. Allow them to cook for an additional minute to ensure filling is cooked all the way through.
Drain, rinse with water then toss with sesame oil to prevent sticking.
Shrimp and Pork Wonton (Hoành Thánh Tôm Thịt)
Storage Tips
You can refrigerate or freeze uncooked wontons. Since store-bought wonton wrappers are heavily floured, they won't stick if they overlap. If storing them in the fridge for more than a day, dust them with all-purpose flour or cornstarch for added assurance.
In an airtight container, arrange them in a single layer and cover each layer with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Allow them to defrost before separating to prevent tearing, then proceed to cook as normal
How to Serve Wontons
Serve boiled wontons in a clear chicken or pork soup broth. Add blanched leafy greens, such as baby bok choy, or other vegetables for a heartier meal.
In Vietnamese cuisine, wontons are usually served in Vietnamese Egg Noodle Wonton Soup (Mì Hoành Thánh).
In American-Chinese cuisine, wontons are fried and served as appetizers with an accompanying sweet duck sauce, or a tangy vinegar soy sauce.
You can also enjoy boiled wontons, simply tossed together with your favorite chili oil.
Vietnamese Shrimp and Pork Wonton (Hoanh Thanh Tom Thit)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the filling: Combine shrimp, ground pork, jicama, onion, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, pepper and sesame oil (half) in a bowl and mix well.
- Wrapping: Fill a small bowl with room temperature water for sealing. Add a teaspoon of filling on one half of the wrapper. The simplest way to wrap a wonton is by forming a triangle. Wet one side of a wonton wrapper with water, then fold it over to create a triangle shape. If you prefer something fancier, add some folds or pleats, and you will have a wonton resembling a cute pouch. Make sure to push out any air pockets, then pinch the seams firmly to seal them.
- Cooking: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add wontons (either fresh or frozen). Give it a quick stir to prevent the wontons from sticking together then cook until they all float. Allow them to cook for an additional minute to ensure filling is cooked all the way through. Drain and rinse with water. Toss with remaining sesame oil (2 teaspoons) to prevent sticking. You can also steam, pan-fry or deep-fry the wontons.
- Storage: You can refrigerate or freeze uncooked wontons. Since store-bought wonton wrappers are heavily floured, they won't stick if they overlap. For added assurance, dust them more with all-purpose flour or cornstarch. In an airtight container, arrange them in a single layer and cover each layer with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Allow them to defrost before separating to prevent tearing, then proceed to cook as normal
- Boil and serve in a clear noodle soup, such as Vietnamese Egg Noodle Soup (Mi Hoanh Thanh) or serve them on their own with a tangy and spicy soy vinegar sauce.
Notes
You can substitute jicama with garlic chives (no need for green onions with garlic chives), bok choy or cabbage.
