Sam Low is a coffee consultant and food content creator. He recently won the title of NZ's Masterchef 2022.
What does Sunday look like in your kitchen?
If I'm not out having dim sum at Yum Cha, Sundays are those days I use to complete my week or to help make the next a little easier. If I feel like I have not been social enough that particular week I would most likely host a meal for friends and make something that is easy, communal and usually homestyle: think a large pot of braised meat, bok choy stir fry and rice or dumplings with chilli oil.
If I feel like I've seen enough people for the week and need to recharge my social energy, I would use my Sundays to either restock my fridge/freezer with homemade goodies so I can have quick and delicious meal options for the week. Or if I'm spontaneously hosting (which tends to happen very often), to check my freezer stock of dumplings and wontons to see if I need to make a fresh batch or if I need to top up my pantry staples, like homemade chilli oil.
For me Sundays are the perfect time to try something new in the kitchen, attempting or practising a recipe I'm not confident with, I love using an ingredient I've never used before (every 1-2 weeks) to expand my food knowledge and creativity.
Wontons are one of my favourite things to eat in the whole world! They hold a lot of nostalgia and comfort for me. My parents operated a noodle factory in Fiji when I was younger, which also produced wonton wrapper skins, so the smell of wonton wrappers takes me back to my childhood where Dad would make the meat filling and Mum would wrap hundreds of wontons at a time while watching a Cantonese soap opera.
Wontons are great as you can get your friends and family involved in the making process and they can reap the rewards of their own labour. The best part is if you have extras, just freeze them and they'll be all good for months, literally a gift for your future self.
Photo / Dean Purcell
Prawn wontons
Makes approx. 30 (4-5 servings)
Filling 500g prawn meat, shelled and cleaned 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt Pinch white pepper 1 egg white 15g ginger, minced 10g garlic, minced 50g spring onion whites, finely chopped 1 tsp cornflour
1. Using a food processor turn the prawns into a rough paste (or chop, using a medium-large knife). Do not over chop/blend to retain some chunky bits of texture.
2. Place all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix in a circular motion with your hands or chopsticks; the paste will get thicker as you mix. (about 3-5min).
*Helpful hint: at this point microwave a teaspoon of the filling in a small bowl for 30 seconds to taste for seasoning, adjust if required*
1 packet thin wonton wrappers (Found in your local Asian grocer) 1 small bowl water Prawn filling mixture
1. My preferred wrapping method of wontons is the ruffled purse wonton, there are many options to choose from and it's definitely an "each to their own" situation. Start by placing 2 tsp (20g) of the filling into the centre of the wonton skin. Using your finger dip some water and wipe along the edges of the wrapper. Fold over the wonton until you get a rectangular shape then scrunch the top whilst pleating the skin above the part with the filling to get a money bag shape.
Sweet soy chilli oil sauce
120ml light soy sauce 60g brown sugar 30ml white vinegar 100g chilli oil (your favourite brand)
1. In a small saucepan bring the soy sauce, brown sugar and vinegar to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes. Add the chilli oil and stir together, remove from stove.
1. In a large pot of boiling water, add in as many wontons as you need to cook. They are done when they float for 1 minute when freshly made, or after they float for 3 minutes if frozen.
2. Using a slotted spoon or spider, scoop the wontons out and place them in a bowl, around 6-8 per person.
3. Spoon over the sauce to serve (about 3 tablespoons or to your liking).
Optional Serve the wontons with bok choy (or your favourite Asian greens) and/or noodles.
