In Mandarin, Wontons are called; 馄饨 húntún "irregularly shaped dumpling" and also popularly called 云吞 yúntūn "swallowing clouds" in both Mandarin and Cantonese. However the English word actually derives from the Cantonese word 雲吞 wàntān.
Wontons are wonderfully wrapped in a silky wheat based sheet. When fried they make tasty snacks, they can be used as an appetiser, part of a meal, or as a tasty snack.

These were the wontons I had left over from the wonton soup I made last week.

Prep time: ½ hour (first time preparing wontons took longer than expected)
Cooking Time: 5 mins

You Will Need:

1 Pack of 50 Wonton Wrappers

Wonton Filling:
600g Minced Pork
2 Spring Onions
3 cloves Garlic
8g Ginger
¾ Cup of water
Seasonings for filling
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp sesame seed oil

How To Cook:

1. Whilst the soup is simmering away chop spring onions into sections, cut up garlic and ginger small. Add the minced pork, and all the seasoning and fillings into a food processor, blend until really well mixed.


2. Now wrap the wontons:

• Place a wonton wrapper on a dry clean cutting board


• Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper


• Take another piece of wonton wrapper and lay it over the filling


• Press the top wrapper gently but firmly over the filling, working out any air between filling and wonton wrapper

• Use a little water to seal the edges



3. Leave wontons aside under a damp towel, and leave in the fridge to prevent the wonton wrappers drying out.


4. Once all the wrappers are filled and completed. Warm up a wok or pan with oil until hot. Add wontons a couple at a time until golden brown.

This proverb comes directly from Mark's China Blog in yesterday's post. It is about uphill struggles and challenges in one's life. Everyday I find new things which re-affirm in my mind that learning Mandarin is truly one of these struggles. But worth every second of it.

Ultimatley this picture has absolutley nothing to do with the quote, although I did feel that Pandas themselves have an 逆流而上 of their own.

Photo Source:
Flickr