Vegetarian Wontons

I have a friend, Kristen Piotrowski, who is from Buffalo, NY and she now lives here in San Diego. One would think that Kristen's absolute favorite food are Buffalo wings, but I was completely shocked when she told me she's a vegetarian. So, now that I am resurrecting our cooking club I'm on a mission to make good, tasty vegetarian dishes. This wonton recipe is very tasty and they make great appetizers for a large party. If you're allergic to peanuts, you can use vegetable oil, but again be careful with the hot oil.

INGREDIENTS (makes about 30 wontons)

• 1 package wonton skins (about 30 - 35)
• Hoisin sauce, for dipping
• 3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
• 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1/4 cup carrots, finely shredded
• 1/2 cup cabbage, finely shredded
• 1/4 cup bean sprouts
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mashed bean curd
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

For the filling: heat a wok or large frying pan and add 3 tablespoons oil. When moderately hot, add the carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. Set aside to cool thoroughly.

Combine the cooled vegetables with the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well. Using a teaspoon, put a small amount of filling in the center of each wonton skin. Bring up 2 opposite corners, dampen the edges with a little water, and pinch them together to make a triangle. Fold over the bottom 2 corners so they overlap, and press together. The filling should be well sealed in.

Heat the 2 cups of peanut oil in a deep fat fryer or large wok until hot. Deep-fry the filled wontons in several batches. Drain on paper towel. Serve at once with hoisin sauce.