Shrimp Wontons

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 pound shrimp, cut into small pieces
• 5 oz. water chestnut, chopped
• 3 fresh (large) basil leaves, chiffonade (roll up and finely slice)
• 1/.4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp tamari sauce
• 1 tbsp sherry
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• ¼ tsp sesame oil
• 1 quart of peanut oil (reserve 1 tbsp for sauté)
• 60 wonton wrappers
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 egg whites mixed with a tbsp of water

Preparation:

Sauté the carrots first, then add garlic and ginger in a skillet with 1 tbsp of neutral flavored oil – like peanut or grape seed oil.  Cook for a few minutes, and then add the water chestnuts cook enough to bring up the temperature. Finish with the sherry, tamari, coconut milk and rice vinegar. Cook to reduce for a minute or so and remove from heat. Toss and mix in the basil, place into a mixing bowl and into the refrigerator to cool.

While mixture is cooling, roughly peel and devein the shrimp. Roughly chop the shrimp into small pieces and put aside. Slice the Green Onions/Scallions into small ¼ inch slices.  Retrieve the bowl from the refrigerator and add the shrimp, green onions, fish sauce and cornstarch.  Mix thoroughly and return to the refrigerator for about 20 minutes while you clean up and prep to make the wontons.

Lay out a cutting board or place a towel over a large surface of the counter.  Wisk the egg whites and water together, in a small bowl, to use as the sealer for the wontons.  Lay out the wonton wrappers about 4 at a time. Make sure to keep a slightly damp towel, over the wrappers not being used. This prevents them from drying out. Dip a small brush or your finger into the bowl and paint half of the square wrapper.  You are going to make a triangle, by bringing the two halves together.  Scoop out a teaspoon of the shrimp wonton mixture and place it in the center.  Bring the two halves together and seal the edges from one corner to the next, while pushing out as much air as possible. Set aside and repeat the process until you are done.

Heat oil to 350° and drop in 5 at a time. Cook them for approximately 5 minutes (turning them half way).

Keep them warm in a 200° oven and serve with my Thai Sweet Chili Sauce or one of your faves.