Ingredients
-
1 lb
firm tofu, drained and halved lengthwise
-
1 tablespoon
vegetable oil, for sauteeing
For the wonton wrappers
-
2 cups
all-purpose flour
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
-
2 teaspoons
cayenne pepper
-
1
egg
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1/2 cup
water, divided
-
extra flour or
cornstarch, as needed
For the curry
-
1/4 cup
major grey chutney
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1/3 cup
ricotta cheese
-
1/4 cup
roasted peanuts
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1 tablespoon
lime juice
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2 teaspoons
curry powder
-
2 teaspoons
vegetable oil
-
1/4 cup
green onion, chopped,for garnish
-
1/4 cup
roasted peanuts, chopped,for garnish
Directions
- Begin by freezing the tofu: Place the tofu in a single layer on a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Freeze until firm (minimum 1 hour, preferably overnight).
- Thaw in the refrigerator until soft, 6-8 hours.
- Once thawed, squeeze and/or press the tofu to get rid of excess water.
- Crumble or grate into small pieces to achieve the texture of cooked ground meat.
- Prepare the wonton dough: In a large bowl, combine the salt and cayenne with the flour.
- In a small bowl, crack the egg, add 1/4 cup water and beat gently.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the egg mixture and mix to combine.
- Add additional water as needed to make a pliable, but not sticky dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead the dough into a ball.
- Keep kneading until smooth (several minutes), then place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 20 minutes, but preferably for 1 hour.
- Prepare the curry base: In the bowl of a food processor, whiz 1/4 cup peanuts with curry powder and vegetable oil.
- Turn this mixture out into a large bowl and add the chutney, ricotta and lime juice.
- Stir to combine, then cover and set aside.
- Prepare the ground tofu for the curry: Season the tofu with a pinch of salt and pepper, then saute it in 1 Tbsp vegetable oil over high heat for about 5 minutes to cook and brown it lightly.
- Add the cooked tofu to the reserved curry base, stir well to combine and allow to cool.
- Roll out and cut the wonton wrappers: Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces, then cut the pieces in quarters.
- Place one of the quarters on a well-floured surface, and roll out with a rolling pin into a 13-by-13 inch square.
- Cut the dough into 4 by 4-inch squares, and save the scraps to roll out again at the end.
- As the wrappers are prepared, dust each one with flour or cornstarch, stack them and cover with a cloth.
- Repeat until the dough is used up and at least 24 wrappers are created.
- These can be prepped in advance, stacked as noted, wrapped in plastic film and either frozen or kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Shape and bake the wonton cups: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Take 12 wonton wrappers and stack them in 2 piles of 6 wrappers (reserve the remaining 12 wrappers for a 2nd batch or for another use).
- Using a sharp knife or a rolling cutter, cut the wrappers in quarters, to yield 48 2-by-2 inch squares.
- Spray a mini muffin pan (1 inch muffins) with nonstick cooking spray and mold one wonton square in each muffin cup.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes until the wontons are golden.
- Remove to a wire rack for cooling and continue making the wonton cups until the squares are used.
- Assemble: Appetizers can be assembled up to 1 hour before serving.
- Spoon a generous 1 tsp of the curried tofu into each wonton cup, sprinkle with chopped peanuts and green onions.
- Place wonton cups on a mirrored tray or flat platter and serve.