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This amazing recipe has been living and breathing on my site for nearly 13 years now. I’ve updated it today with lots of new pictures (thank goodness) and instructions. While making changes to the post, I couldn’t help but reflect on the many years that we’ve been making this recipe, as a family. It’s one of those gather-round-the-counter-and-help type recipes. My daughter Emily requests them for her birthday each year…
Here she is, with my daughter Anna, building Won Tons so many years ago!
…and here they are now. They’ve grown into adults.
… and I’ve grown into a Grandma. 🙂
That’s the funny thing about time, isn’t it? It brings a person right along with it.
The Won Tons featured in this post are a result of my Father in laws missionary service in Japan when he was in his young adult-hood. Throughout the years he made them countless times for his large family of 8 children. I wonder if he realized when he started the tradition, that we would still be making them…nearly 60 years after he learned how.
This past weekend, as we made them for Emily’s 21st birthday…vegetables being chopped, fingers dipped into flour water paste, and pans sizzling with the finished product…it occurred to me again…
That food is a powerful tool that can brings us together.
For my entire married life we’ve been making this recipe. It brings up all kinds of nostalgia and sentimentality and memories.
But.
This little recipe would mean nothing to me, without the people I’ve made it with over the years.
I’m sometimes guilty of being so focused on the food, that I forget it’s actual use.
Obviously, it exists to nourish us.
But for this recipe…
…it’s the connection to my father in law, and my own children and now grandchildren is what I love most when I make them. It reminds me of him and and all the years that have gone by and the time we’ve spent loving and experiencing and struggling together.
Just a thought, for you today, my friends.
My love to you and your family. May we always use food as a tool to bring people together. 🙂
Now, let me show you how to make these terrific Won Tons happen.
You’re going to start with these pretty veggies.
Use a food processor to dice them up into tiny, tiny pieces. Add the ground beef and seasonings.
Grab your won ton wrappers…
… and place 4 out at a time.
Scoop a little less than a tablespoon onto each shell, then coat the inside corners with the flour and water paste.
Seal the edges.Cook according to directions below!
Ingredients
- Filling:
- 1/2 head green cabbage
- 2 onions
- 2-3 large carrots
- 1 T ginger
- 1 1/2 t salt
- 1 t red pepper flakes
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 t black pepper
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 egg
- Shells:
- 2 50 count pkg won ton wrappers (found in the produce section)
- flour and water (1 part flour to 2 parts water)
- Dipping Sauce:
- 1 C rice vinegar
- 1/2 C soy sauce
- 1 t red pepper flakes
- 1 t sesame oil
- 1/2 t toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- 1/2 C sugar
Instructions
1. Chop the veggies up super small. We actually put them in a mini food processor, a few at a time to get them the right size. You want to be careful not to turn them to mush.
2. Mix the veggies, seasonings, and hamburger together. Add the egg and mix well. Adam usually just puts his hands in the bowl and mixes it all up that way.
3. Mix the flour and water together to make a paste.
4. Lay four won ton wrappers out at a time in a square. Dip your finger in the paste and then coat the inside edges of the wrappers with it. You can see in the picture below which edges have the paste on them.
5. Place about 1 T of meat mixture into the center of each wrapper.
6. Fold the edges of each wrapper together, and press so the paste has a chance to seal. Repeat with all wrappers.
7. In a large skillet heat 1 T olive oil. Fry the won tons over medium heat (covered) for about 5-6 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the won tons over and cook for another 5-6 minutes (uncovered)
8. After all the won tons are cooked (we usually have 2 fry pans and an electric skillet all going at the same time to speed things up) pour the Dipping Sauce ingredients into the hot fry pan. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Let it heat through for about 2 minutes. Pour into a serving dish and you are ready to eat. We serve it with piping hot white rice.
Made these today & my 10 year old son & the husband loved them! Pan fried technique was easily explained & I nailed it! I was worried I was being wasteful, making such a large batch but I just went to the kitchen and there are hardly any left! I have tried making pork dumplings before but I can’t seem to get the meat flavored right. Using this beef mixture was tasty good. Thanks so much for your recipes–this one is a keeper.
These were delicious! I loved the dipping sauce as well….so much flavor! Thanks for this very tasty recipe.
Lisa,
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know.
Best,
~Jamie
I’ve been making short-cut wontons (shredded pork, BBQ sauce, and tri-color coleslaw) for years and it’s time for a change! I have everything listed in your recipe. Today is the day! I can’t wait to make and eat a few (dozen!) of these wontons. Thank you, Jamie!