Life is too Short to Not Eat Good Food

Passport & Plate - Shrimp Wontons with Creamy Tom Yum Coconut Sauce

USA | Friday, March 6, 2015 | 5 photos

Ingredients
Shrimp Filling:
16 frozen (medium) shrimp, thawed & deveined
1 egg
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp Tom Yum paste
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp honey or agave syrup
3-4 leaflets napa cabbage or cabbage
wonton wrappers

Creamy Tom Yum Coconut Sauce:
1.5 cups canned coconut milk
1/4 cup swiss cheese, white cheddar, provolone, or gruyere, grated
1/4 cup brie or camembert
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
1 tsp tom yum paste
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp whole wheat flour, cornstarch, or potato starch
3/4 Tbsp honey or agave syrup
salt to taste

Toppings:
chili oil
ichimi togarashi
scallions
sesame seeds
smelt eggs

 

How to prepare this recipe
Shrimp Wontons:
1. In a food processor, blend together all of the ingredients for the shrimp filling with the exception of the wrappers. Pulse until the consistency is smooth, almost like a paste.
2. Fill a small dish with water. Prepare your wontons by laying each sheet one at a time. Place about a little more than a teaspoon of your shrimp mixture in the middle of the wonton wrapper. Dip your index & middle finger into the dish with water & wet 2 sides of the wonton. Fold the wonton over to form a triangular shape, ensuring that there are no pockets of air in the middle. Press the wonton sides together firmly. Wet the rest of the wonton so that it steams with ease.
3. In your steamer, place cabbage, kale, or parchment paper to prevent wontons from sticking to the bottom of the rack. Steam for no more than 10 minutes. You don't want to overcook your wontons.
4. Set wontons aside.

Creamy Tom Yum Coconut Sauce:
1. In a medium sized bowl, add the coconut milk, Greek yogurt, fish sauce, vinegar, wheat flour, & honey. Mix together until evenly distributed.
2. On medium high heat, place the mixture in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil & add the cheese. Turn the heat down to around medium to medium-low until the cheese melts & becomes incorporated into the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more coconut milk.

Plate:
Serve coconut sauce atop the wontons & sprinkle the toppings on as you see fit.

 

The story behind this recipe
This recipe is an adaptation of the Tom Yum Ravioli dish from 7 Seas Restaurant in Garden Grove, which is now closed. While the restaurant may not be in business anymore, their Tom Yum Ravioli was a fantastic dish, packed with bold flavors, spices, & creaminess. Had it not been for an event that was held there, I would have never tried this dish nor known about it. However, the event held at the restaurant was not meant to be a happy celebration such as someone's birthday, but a commemoration & appreciation for a life once lived. My friend of nearly a decade, had an untimely death brought on by a brutal beating outside of a nightclub; she was only 23. Kim was a fellow foodie & had a love for the art of literature. After school, the four of us--Kim, Viviane, Vy, & I--would walk over to Vy's house where we formed our Noodle Party club, where Instant Ramen After School Specials were the only thing on the menu. We always met at restaurants or had food involved in our meetings one way or another, thus this recipe comes full circle: even in death, we managed to find some phenomenal wontons in honor of Kim. While she never ate these herself, I cannot imagine she wouldn't find the dish particularly appetizing. Kim was a lover of many foods with a particular fondness for Asian dishes, so a dish that combines shrimp, coconut, & tom yum is certainly one she would appreciate. Whenever I think of Kim, I think of both the good & bad memories because she wouldn't have it any other way. She valued honesty, respect, family, friends, & a good meal to write home about. One bite into this dish & I'm transported back to the day we showed up at 7 Seas to honor Kim's memory. They remind me of how short & fragile life is, but they also resemble how delicious life can be too. We must accept that bad things happen to good people, but it isn't the end of the world. Kim would've wanted us to rejoice over a delectable dish or bowl of ramen, so this recipe is dedicated to her.