Spicy Mussel Wontons Make Everyone Smile

You might be familiar with Crab Rangoon, a popular Chinese food appetizer. It’s basically crab and cream cheese wontons that are pinched into little purses and deep-fried. Here, Chef Simmone Edwin puts a new twist on the dim sum favourite using mussels instead.

Mussels are delicious, affordable and easy to cook. (They’re also extremely sustainable to buy!) Mixed with cream cheese, garlic, onion, chive, paprika and peppers, the mussels are folded into a flower shape, quickly fried and served hot in less than 20 minutes from start to finish.

You can assemble your wontons up to 4 hours in advance, then store them loosely covered in the fridge until you’re ready to fry them.

Spicy Mussel Wontons

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound mussels meat, removed from shell and washed
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 sprigs chive, chopped
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 pimento peppers 
• 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper 
• 8 ounces plain cream cheese 
• 1 packet wonton skins 
• 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying) 
• 1 cup mayonnaise 
• 3 tablespoons Sriracha

Directions

1. Remove muscle meat from their shells and wash under cold running water. Allow excess water to drain properly. Chop meat finely.
2. In a frying pan, heat oil and sauté garlic and onion. Add mussels and cook thoroughly. Add grated ginger.
3. Remove from the pan and mix in salt, black pepper, chive, paprika, pimentos, scotch bonnet pepper and cream cheese to form a paste.
4. Using 1 teaspoon of the filling, add to wonton skin and fold to form.
5. Fry wontons in vegetable oil until golden brown, and drain properly after frying. 
6. Mix mayo and Sriracha and use as a dipping sauce for wontons.

How to Fold Your Wontons

Fold the wrapper in half into a triangle shape. Press the edges together to seal it well, pressing out any air bubbles. Bring the two bottom corners of the triangle together, and seal them with a little water. Now, you have a little hat-shaped dumpling with a top point.

About Post Author

Simmone Edwin

https://www.instagram.com/merakicateringtt/

Simmone ‘Simmy’ Edwin is a certified hospitality educator, who was most recently the head chef at Adam’s Bagels. She obtained an associate’s degree in Culinary Management at TTHTI and followed her passion for education in the field, to earn a bachelor’s degree in Food Service Management and International Hotel Operations from Johnson and Wales University Miami and the Spermalie Hotel School Belgium. Upon her return to Trinidad, she dived in to the culinary scene working in places such as Il Colosseo, More Sushi, The Normandie Hotel, Buzo and has taught for a while at The Baking Academy. Follow her on social media at @merakicateringtt.

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