Page 93 - Through the eyes of an African chef

African wontons
As I took my first bite of Sichuan wontons in Chinatown, Manhattan, I knew I was not going to leave without getting a lesson on how to make these delectable morsels. Moreover, as I tasted them, they took me back to inyama ebilisiwe (plain meat boiled for hours in 3-legged pots), which we made on special family occasions. We enjoyed the broth and meat so soft it fell off the bone. It was a pure dish made with much love.
So, here goes my take on this dish that cost me a few dollars and a few kilograms to learn. It’s a good idea to freeze some uncooked wontons for snack days.
INSTRUCTIONS
For the meat filling: In a large bowl combine beef, egg, sesame oil, salt, pepper and spring onions (reserve some for garnishing). The filling will be sticky and wet.
To assemble the wontons: Fill a medium bowl with cold water for sealing the wontons and place it on your worktop. Use a damp paper towel or damp kitchen towel to cover the opened wrappers so they do not dry out. Angle a wonton wrapper, facing you like a diamond. Fill the centre of the wrapper with the meat filling. Wet your finger then use it to wet the outside corners of the wrapper.
To wrap, form a triangle by folding the bottom tip to the top tip and pinch the air out. With your wet finger, wet the left tip and fold it over the right tip to overlap, and press gently. Keep the finished wontons on a plate and cover lightly with a damp kitchen towel.
For the sauce: In a medium-sized bowl mix soy sauce, sugar, chilli oil, garlic, vinegar and Sichuan pepper. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
TO SERVE
Place the wontons into a large pot of boiling water for 4 minutes, or until they rise to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and place in a serving dish. Drizzle with the sauce and garnish with spring onion and serve.
INGREDIENTS
For the meat filling
450g cooked, shredded beef 1 egg
2 tsp sesame oil
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp black pepper
6 spring onions, thinly sliced
1⁄2 package wonton skins – available from Asian supermarkets
For the sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1⁄2 tsp sugar
1 tsp chilli oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1⁄4 tsp ground Sichuan pepper
THROUGH THE EYES OF AN AFRICAN CHEF
SERVES 6–8
PREPARATION TIME 30–40 MINS COOKING TIME 4–6 MINS
[ chapter four ] MY SNACKS 91