We all love wonton but have you ever tried sichuan version? Check out this bowl of wonton in chili oil. We added freshly ground sichuan peppercorn powder, which gives you a tingling feeling – Weird but additive.

For the wonton (enough to make 50 wontons) 

• 12 oz (340 grams) of ground chicken
• 1.5 tsp of grated ginger
• 1.5 tsp of grated garlic
• 1.5 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of oyster sauce
• Some black pepper to taste
• 7 oz (200 grams) of Fresh shredded zucchini (season with some 1/2 tsp of salt and squeeze the liquid out you will end up with about 220 grams of zucchini
• 1 tbsp of sesame oil
• 1/3 cup of diced scallion
• 1 pack of wonton skin

To cook the wonton

• 6-8 cups of chicken stock or water
• Baby Bok choy or other leafy vegetables depending on your preference

To assemble the wonton soup (1 serving)

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 tsp of sugar
• 2 tsp of soy sauce
• 2 tsp of oyster sauce
• 2 tsp of Chinese black vinegar
• Sichuan pepper corn powder to taste
• 1-5 tbsp of chili oil depending on your taste
• 1/2 cup of the broth that you cook the wonton with
• 10-12 pieces of wonton
• Diced cilantro as garnish
• Diced scallion as garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Shred the zucchini by using the largest holes on your grater. Season with 1/2 tsp of salt and rub for a minute.

Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the moisture. Squeeze most of the liquid out of the shredded zucchini.

If you have never tried zucchini in the wonton filling, you will be surprised by the texture that it brings in, so soft and juicy.

In a big mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients: 12 oz of ground chicken, 1.5 tsp of grated ginger, 1.5 tsp of grated garlic, 1.5 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of oyster sauce and some black pepper to taste. Stir the filling within one direction for 3-5 minutes to develop the texture of the filling.

Continue by adding the zucchini, 1/3 cup of diced scallion, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Mix well. If this is the first time you are making this recipe, you should cook a small amount of the filling in the microwave and taste to adjust the flavor because there is no going back once you’ve wrapped them.

I am using store-bought wrappers. You can buy wonton wrappers easily in Walmart and target; just check the frozen sections in your local grocery stores. Be sure to put them out 40 minutes ahead at room temperature to defrost. You can also click here to learned how to make it at home。

To wrap the wonton, put some filling in the middle of the wrapper. Dip some water with your finger and wet half of the wrapper. Fold it in half. Pack it tight. Be sure to push out all the air. Make a small curve in the middle so it is easy to fold. Then you glue the two sides and pinch them together. There is a special name for this shape of wonton, called yuan bao – it is a type of shoe-shaped gold ingot, which represents wealth and treasure in Chinese culture.

Before we cook them, we need to make the spicy flavor base which is what builds the reputation of this recipe. In a bowl, add the following ingredients: 2 cloves of garlic, press them through a garlic presser;  1/2 tsp of sugar, 2 tsp of soy sauce, 2 tsp of oyster sauce, 2 tsp of Chinese black vinegar, some Sichuan peppercorn powder to taste, and 1-5 tbsp of hot chili oil.

This bowl here is one serving, which is exactly like how they prepared locally in China, so you can adjust the taste base on everybody’s preference. If you have a big family and you all have similar taste buds, it is totally ok to make a bigger batch at one time and divide it while serving. Set that aside, we are going to cook the wonton.

Pour in 6-8 cups of chicken stock into the wok. I am using homemade chicken stock, but store-bought or even water will work just as good because the flavor base is so powerful that you will not notice the difference.

Bring it to a boil. Use your spoon to stir the broth to create a vortex. Then, put in the wonton. This way, they will flow with the water instead of sinking to the bottom directly. Otherwise, they will stick to the bottom and lose a part of their skin.

Stir the wonton once every 20 seconds. It takes about 2 minutes for the wonton to float to the top of the water, then monitor the heat at low and keep the pot at a slight simmer for another 5-6 minutes.

Do not let the water boil violently, otherwise the wonton will start expanding and the skin will break.

When it is almost ready, add some green leafy vegetables that you like; I am using baby bok choy. Let it blanch with the wontons for 20 seconds to a minute depending on your preference.

Turn off the heat. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the broth and pour it into the serving bowl. Follow up with how ever many pieces of wonton that you want.

Sprinkle some diced scallion and cilantro on the top. (Sprinkle some diced cilantro and scallion on the top) Now you are ready to enjoy this mouthwatering Sichuan Chao Shou. The filling is tender and juicy, and the chili oil is fiercely spicy, numbing, and super aromatic. I am sweaty already with just a few wontons but it is hard to stop eating…