Recipe: Ginger Date Wontons

Ginger Date Wontons

Makes 24 wontons

Ginger Date Wontons Wontons aren't just for appetizers and soups. Versatile wonton wrappers have a neutral flavor that goes perfectly with sweet ingredients, too. These crispy treats, with a chewy filling of dates, nuts, and candied ginger, make a delicious dessert. I sometimes serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but they're equally tasty at room temperature.

Filling
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
6 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped cystallized ginger
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons butter, softened

24 wonton wrappers

Cooking oil for deep-fying

Getting Ready
Combine filling ingredients in a bowl; mix well.

Make each wonton:
Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of a wonton wrapper; keep remaining wrappers covered to prevent drying. Brush edges of wrapper with water and fold wrapper in half to form a triangle. Pinch edges to seal Pull two opposite corners together, moisten one corner with water, and overlap with the other corner; press to seal. To prevent drying, cover filled wontons with a dry towel.

Cooking
In a wok or 2-quart saucepan, heat oil for deep-frying to 360 degrees F. Deep-fry wontons, a few at a time, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Serve hot or cold.

Up-To-Date

In China, dates date back centuries. The jujube, or Chinese red date, is small and wrinkled, with a sweet-tart flavor. In the U.S., it's sold only in dried form. The jujube bears no relation to the palm date-the kind familiar to Western cooks-or to the chewy jujube candy! Palm dates came to China from Persia more than a thousand years ago. If you're looking for a great palm date, I recommend the large, moist, and sweet Medjool, grown in California.

Martin Yan's Feast:
The Best of Yan Can Cook
By Martin Yan
Bay Books, San Francisco
Hardback, $34.95
400 pages, 75 color photos
Publication date: October 1998
ISBN 0-912333-31-6
Recipe Reprinted by permission.