Chinese Tacos
Yield: About 50 dumplings
Cook Time: 30 seconds to 1 minute per dumpling batch
Tips: Pork, chicken or beef may be used. Other mushrooms may be substituted for the Shitake mushrooms (or if preferred, mushrooms may be omitted, though their flavor is subtle because only a small amount are used). Diced yellow onions may be substituted for the green onions. Dumplings may be fried in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan.
Suggestion: Perfect for kids' parties, holidays, snacking or any event.
Chinese Tacos are great for all ages and can easily serve a large crowd! These Asian dumplings feature wonton wrappers that are trimmed into circles, then filled with a tasty mixture of minced cooked meat (pork, chicken or beef can be used), diced green onions, diced celery, thinly sliced Napa cabbage and diced Shitake mushrooms, seasoned with soy sauce, curry powder and a dash of white pepper. Each wonton skin is then folded in half and sealed, then the edges are pleaded (small folds are created). The filled wontons are then briefly deep fried in hot oil until golden brown
around the edges (which takes less than 1 minute per batch). Once fried, these Chinese Tacos become light, flaky and crispy, and the filler ingredients are hot, tender and very flavorful!
These Asian dumplings have quite a bit of flexibility, as well. You can make them with your choice of pork, chicken or beef (most any cuts will do). If you prefer to save a cooking step, you can purchase precooked meat or chicken. (Tip: If you choose to roast your meat in the oven, you can add wonderful complimentary flavor to the meat by pouring a mixture of 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar over the top of the meat before placing it in the oven,) Diced yellow onions can be substituted for the green onions, if desired, and most any type of mushroom can be used instead of Shitake mushrooms. In fact, if preferred, the mushrooms can be omitted altogether (though they add only a very subtle flavor to these dumplings, because only a small amount is used). Lastly, these Chinese Tacos are very tasty and full of flavor on their own, but can also be served with your favorite Asian dipping sauce, such as Asian Dipping Sauce or Sweet and Sour Sauce.
These Asian dumplings have quite a bit of flexibility, as well. You can make them with your choice of pork, chicken or beef (most any cuts will do). If you prefer to save a cooking step, you can purchase precooked meat or chicken. (Tip: If you choose to roast your meat in the oven, you can add wonderful complimentary flavor to the meat by pouring a mixture of 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar over the top of the meat before placing it in the oven,) Diced yellow onions can be substituted for the green onions, if desired, and most any type of mushroom can be used instead of Shitake mushrooms. In fact, if preferred, the mushrooms can be omitted altogether (though they add only a very subtle flavor to these dumplings, because only a small amount is used). Lastly, these Chinese Tacos are very tasty and full of flavor on their own, but can also be served with your favorite Asian dipping sauce, such as Asian Dipping Sauce or Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Recipe▼
Ingredients
- 1 lb. minced cooked pork, chicken or beef
- 1/2 cup minced celery
- 1/4 cup minced green onion (or yellow onion)
- 2 tablespoons minced Shitake mushrooms (or other mushrooms)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced or shredded Napa cabbage
- dash white pepper
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 12-oz. package wonton wrappers
- oil for deep frying
Directions
Cook pork, chicken or beef using any method desired (or purchase pork, chicken or beef already cooked). (Tip: If roasting your meat in the oven, pouring a mixture of 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar over the top of the meat will add wonderful complimentary flavor and will help meat maintain moisture.)
Once meat is cooked, place in a food processor and pulse a few times until shredded or minced. In a mixing bowl, combine minced meat, celery, onion, mushrooms, cabbage, white pepper, soy sauce and curry powder and mix well until thoroughly combined.
Trim corners off of wontons to form a circle. (Tip: Placing a round object such as a jar lid over the wontons and cutting around it with a knife to form a circle is helpful. If you don't have a round object to use as a cutting guide, simply trim off the corners in a curved fasion - circles do not have to be perfectly shaped.)
Have a small bowl of water ready near work area. Place about 1 teaspoon of the mixture in the center of each circle-shaped wonton skin (also called wonton wrapper). Using your finger, wet the edges of the wonton skin, then fold and gently pinch to seal. Wet one side of the sealed area of the wonton skin again, then fold into about 5-6 small pleats (on the wet side), gently squeezing to help them hold in place. Place prepared filled wontons (dumplings) on a plate or tray lined with parchment paper (to prevent wontons from sticking).
Heat oil (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep) in a deep fryer or heavy duty saucepan to 375°F. Gently lower dumplings into hot oil with a slotted spoon or other utensil, cooking one batch at a time (allow enough room for dumplings to move around while cooking). Fry until crispy and golden brown around the edges (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
Once meat is cooked, place in a food processor and pulse a few times until shredded or minced. In a mixing bowl, combine minced meat, celery, onion, mushrooms, cabbage, white pepper, soy sauce and curry powder and mix well until thoroughly combined.
Trim corners off of wontons to form a circle. (Tip: Placing a round object such as a jar lid over the wontons and cutting around it with a knife to form a circle is helpful. If you don't have a round object to use as a cutting guide, simply trim off the corners in a curved fasion - circles do not have to be perfectly shaped.)
Have a small bowl of water ready near work area. Place about 1 teaspoon of the mixture in the center of each circle-shaped wonton skin (also called wonton wrapper). Using your finger, wet the edges of the wonton skin, then fold and gently pinch to seal. Wet one side of the sealed area of the wonton skin again, then fold into about 5-6 small pleats (on the wet side), gently squeezing to help them hold in place. Place prepared filled wontons (dumplings) on a plate or tray lined with parchment paper (to prevent wontons from sticking).
Heat oil (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep) in a deep fryer or heavy duty saucepan to 375°F. Gently lower dumplings into hot oil with a slotted spoon or other utensil, cooking one batch at a time (allow enough room for dumplings to move around while cooking). Fry until crispy and golden brown around the edges (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
