Hoành Thánh Chay (Sweet Potato and Water Chestnut Wontons)

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F.

   Step 2

   Make the sauce by mixing the ingredients together. Set aside.

   Step 3

   Place the cauliflower and sweet potato onto a baking sheet. Drizzle and toss with the oil and bake for 25–25 minutes.

   Step 4

   When the vegetables are done, let them cool slightly before roughly mashing the sweet potato in a mixing bowl. Add the cauliflower, edamame, water chestnuts, sushi ginger, and spring onions. Sprinkle with the sea salt and gently fold it altogether with the sesame oil.

   Step 5

   To make the dumplings, sprinkle a little cornstarch onto a tray. Place a wonton wrapper onto the palm of your hand and place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the middle. Fold into a triangle and roughly pleat together. Place it on the tray. This technique is great for deep-frying. If you would like to poach the wontons, pleat them into gold sacks by folding into a triangle then pinching inwards until the wrappers gather at the top, before placing the wontons on a tray. Repeat.

   Step 6

   To deep-fry: Heat about 2 inches of oil to 320°F in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, and fry in batches for about 3 minutes on each side or until blistering and golden. Drain on paper towels.

   Step 7

   To poach: Place in a pan of boiling water and poach in batches for 4 minutes, at which point they should float to the top. Leave to poach for another minute before draining and then gently tossing in the sesame oil.

   Step 8

   To serve, place on a platter and pour the perilla sauce all over it. Scatter with spring onion.