Asian Wraps will surely add to the way you enjoy food, tempting you with a wide assortment of highly flavored, Asian-accented dishes eaten without benefit of fork, knife, or chopsticks. Nina Simonds, known for her impeccable versions of classic Asian dishes, cuts loose in this book, offering, for example, a creative seafood and rice salad tucked into lettuce leaves and a clever adaptation of Chinese Lion's Head. This dish is usually meatballs with a mane of cabbage, served floating in a soupy
While I've sampled this dim sum in a number of restaurants, my favorite version is prepared by master chef C. K. Sau at the New Shanghai in Boston; his sesame sauce is especially delicious. The versatile sauce is also wonderful with noodles. I make it in large batches, since it will keep in the refrigerator for weeks.
Makes: 50 wontons
1 pound lean ground pork
3/4 cup canned whole water chestnuts, blanched in boiling water for 10 seconds, refreshed under cold running water, drained, blotted dry, and chopped
For the seasonings, mixed together:
2 1/2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 1/2 tablespoons minced scallion whites
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine or sake
2 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the wonton:
50 wonton skins
Cornstarch as needed
To cook the wontons:
3 quarts water
For the Spicy Sesame Sauce, processed until smooth in a food processor or blender:
8 cloves garlic, peeled
Two 1-inch square knobs fresh ginger, peeled
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 tablespoons Chinese toasted sesame paste (mix well before adding)
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine or sake
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons chicken broth or water
In a medium-size bowl, combine the ground pork, water chestnuts, and seasonings and stir vigorously.
Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center of each wonton skin, bring the edges up over the filling, and press together to enclose the filling and form a money-bag-like shape. Place the finished wontons on a cookie sheet that has been lightly dusted with cornstarch.
In a deep pot, heat the water until boiling. Add the wontons and cook for about 8 minutes, until the filling is cooked, reducing the heat to medium when the water reaches a boil again. Remove the wontons with a handled strainer, or drain in a colander, and arrange on a serving platter or in a serving dish with a lip. Drizzle the spicy sesame sauce on top and serve.
