This fusion recipe of Indian flavours delicately wrapped in Chinese wonton cups, make the cutest little appetizers. They're easy and take no time make but will surely be an instant hit with your family and friends at your next house party.
The background to the recipe's key spice, curry powder, was developed by British manufacturers in an attempt to provide a ready-made spice mixture similar to the kari podi (podi means “powder”) that British colonists became accustomed to in southern India. Essential to the fiery cooking of southern India, kari podi is the combination of spices that evolved into British-style curry powder.
The other star ingredient, wontons, are Chinese dumplings made from wheat flour and eggs. There are many variations of wontons but the most common type of wonton, known to North Americans, is the Cantonese version made with a minced pork filling and served boiled in soups. So try making these tasty bite-sized treats, they will be your new go-to "appie" for many parties to come!
Did you know: Cantonese wontons were introduced to Hong Kong after World War II as street food and later to indoor eateries.
Ingredients - 24 wonton wrappers (Preferred brand: Double Happiness Foods Wonton Wrappers) - canola oil - 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped - 2 garlic cloves, minced - 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger - 2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey - 1 tbsp curry powder - 1/2 cup coconut milk - 1/3 cup mango chutney (or any chutney of choice) - 1/4 cup fresh lime juice - salt and pepper to taste - chopped green onions or cilantro (optional)
Did you know: Curry is actually a mix of spices and commonly includes ground coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, dry mustard, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper and red chili peppers.
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To make the wonton cups, press wonton wrappers into mini muffin cups, pressing any folds firmly to the sides. Bake for 5-8 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
3. For the filling, heat a teaspoon of canola oil in a frying pan and saute the onions for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and ginger, cool for another minute. Add the chicken, curry, coconut milk , chutney, lime juice, salt & pepper. Cook, stirring often, until filling is bubbly and thickened. Cool slightly or chill before spooning into wonton cups and sprinkle with chopped green onion or cilantro. Now, put on your party dress and serve to hungry guests!!
Try this: For a lighter version, use light coconut milk or 2% evaporated milk.
Shumai (Pork Dumplings) The origins of Shumai, a traditional Chinese pork dumpling, date back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). Its filling is typically made with seasoned ground pork, chopped shrimp and Shiitake mushrooms then wrapped with thin wonton wrappers to be either steamed or fried. Shumai is one of the most popular dishes served during Dim Sum, a Cantonese term meaning dishes of small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate.
A huge lover of all things Dim Sum, I jumped at the opportunity to learn how to make these luscious dumplings from my boyfriend's father. He typically comes up with his recipes, like this version of Shumai, from the availability of ingredients from his fridge and pantry. A lesson on how to be resourceful and be confident to try new ingredients in familiar dishes to shake things up! A unique ingredient in this recipe is Chinese sausage, also known as Lap Chong.
Did you know: The Dim Sum cuisine originated with Cantonese farmers who would take a midday break after an exhausting morning tilling the fields to enjoy afternoon tea. Soon entrepreneurial tea-house owners began serving farmers small snacks with their tea. These "small snacks" would eventually evolve into the culinary art of Dim Sum!
Ingredients: - 1 lb ground lean pork - 1 cup Chinese sausage (Lap Chong), finely chopped - 1/2 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined - 1/2 cup Shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped - 1/3 cup green onion, finely chopped - 1/3 cup onion, minced - 3 cloves of garlic, minced - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce - 2 tbsp soy sauce - ground pepper - wonton wrappers
Delicious Tip: Wonton wrappers dry out easily so always cover both unused and completed Shumai under a damp dish cloth.
Preparation:
1. Combine the pork, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, green onion, onion, garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and ground pepper, and mix well until it forms a paste. 2. Place about a tablespoon of pork filling on each wonton wrapper, and crimp up the sides to form ripples, leaving the center open. Flatten the bottom of the dumpling on the counter so that it will stand up. Then top with a whole shrimp. When all the Shimai dumplings are filled, steam in a bamboo steamer for about 5-6 minutes, until cooked. Served with soy sauce or other desired dipping sauces. Oh so tasty!
Try this! Be creative with your dipping sauces and try these simple recipes for your next Shumai fix! Creamy mustard sauce: In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons of mustard, 1 teaspoon of water, 1/4 teaspoon of sesame sauce and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Soy-vinegar sauce: In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of minced ginger and 1/4 cup of finely chopped green onion.
Hand Pies (meat pies or pasties) Hand pies are a triangular shaped pastry with either a sweet or savory filling, formed by placing a dollop of filling onto a square piece of pastry then folded over and crimped shut to be either baked or deep-fried. Hand pies date back to the 19th-century England, where they were portable lunches for tin miners in Cornwall, located south-west of England . The pastry casing is known to be a convenient way to keep the filling warm and free of dirt where miners would hold the edges, eat the inside and discard the pastry when they were done.
The thought of throwing away the pastry seems nonsensical because it's part of the delicious experience! Perhaps the dough was made much tougher back then. Not in this recipe. I fell in love with it because it uses precooked filling ingredients (or left overs) and store-bought puff pastry for a quick and stress-free meal. The hand pies are so yummy, you can't have just one! Enjoy.
Ingredients: - 2 cups of leftover roasted yam or sweet potatoes - 1/2 cup heavy cream or 2% milk - 1/4 tsp ground coriander - 1/4 tsp ground cumin - 1/2 cup Italian parsley - coarse salt & ground pepper to taste - all purpose flour for rolling - 1 box of Tenderflake frozen puff pastry, thawed - 2 cups of leftover roasted chicken, cut into bite-size pieces - 1 cup fresh mozzarella, sliced into bite-size pieces - 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Did you know: Hand pies are a traditional meal in commonwealth countries and each country tends to have different crusts for their hand pies. In England the crust tends to be much lighter and flakier, like a puff pastry whereas Australia and New Zealand uses margarine rather than butter, giving the pies a different flavor.
Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl mash sweet potatoes with a fork and add cream, coriander, cumin and Italian parsley. Stir to combine and add salt & pepper to taste.
2. On a floured work surface, roll out puff pastry into two 12 inch squares, cut and divide into 8 squares. Divide sweet potato mixture among bottom halves of squares, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Top each with 1/4 cup chicken and few pieces of mozzarella the brush edges of squares with some egg. Fold top halves of squares over filling to make a triangle, then crimp edges with a fork. With a sharp knife, cut ventes in pastry and brush with remaining egg.
3. Transfer pies to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let pies cool for 10 minutes or serve at room temperature. So tasty!!!
Delicious Tip: Don't overfill hand pies, or they'll burst at the seams. Save any leftover filling for another use -- or another round of hand pies!
Bannock(fry bread) (BAHN-nuhk) Bannock made its way over to North America in the mid 1800's when large numbers of laborers came to work for the Hudson's Bay Company from Scotland. As a result, these Scottish laborers brought the traditions of making bannock with them. The fry bread is usually made of barely and oatmeal but the North American First Nations adopted bannock by preparing it with white or whole wheat flour, baking powder and water then baked or fried over fire.
Last week I visited my boyfriend, Jaeger, in the Klondike Gold Rush Capital, Dawson City. I've been missing him terribly because he has been traveling across the Yukon and B.C. for the past month. It was at Dawson City's Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre where we got to try the Tr'ondek Hwech'in HanNation's version of bannock. Kylie of the HanNation, prepared us our scrumptious pan-fried raisin bannock. It had a crispy golden crust with a sweet and hardy doughnuty center. A true taste of Yukon golden heaven!
Did you know: Due to the depletion of large game because of the fur trade, First Nations people turned to food alternatives like Bannock for survival. The Hudson's Bay Company even sold flour below cost in some parts of Canada to discourage hunting. In turn, bannock became a staple food for the First Nations people.
Ingredients: 6 cups flour (white or whole wheat or mix) 4 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp salt 4 1/2 tbsp sugar dried fruit or fresh berries of choice (optional) 2 -3 cups water 3-4 cups vegetable oil
Did you know: Bannock became popular with trappers and voyageurs because it was a long-lasting travel food that was easily portable while they were on the trail.
Preparation: 1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and desired dried fruit or fresh berries then thoroughly mix the dry ingredients.
2. Start adding water a little at a time and stir to form a soft dough. 3. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy sauce pan (cast iron preferred) to 350 degrees F. Form soft dough into cakes approximately 3 " in diameter and 1/4" thick. Fry 3 or 4 bannock at a time for about 4 or 5 minutes per side, turning once until lightly golden brown. Serve with butter, jam and tea! Bannocklicious!
Delicious Tip: For a healthier version, bake the bannocks in a greased pan at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Pancit Canton (noodle stir fry) Pancit, a term for "noodles" in Filipino cuisine, was introduced by the Chinese centuries ago. Filipinos have adopted and improvised the Chinese noodle recipes, and integrated them into our own cuisine using locally-available ingredients. As a result, various parts of the Philippines have created their own version of pancit, using different noodles, ingredients, toppings, and cooking methods.
There are over 25 pancit varieties! So I'm sharing my Mom's version of pancit canton, the Filipino version of chow mein. This is one of the most popular kinds of pancit and is stir-fried in a soy sauce mixture with toppings of vegetables, meats, and seafood.
Did you know: The word itself "pancit" is derived from the Hokkien word "pian i sit", meaning "something conveniently cooked fast".
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium carrot, julienned (cut into thin strips) 1 cup snap peas, sliced on a diagonal 1/2 of a napa cabbage, shredded 2 cups of chicken broth 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp patis (fish sauce), or to taste 1 pkg (1 lb) pancit canton (Chinese egg noodles) Topping:
1 cup cooked chicken breast, shredded 1/2 lb cooked shrimp, peeled 1/2 cup small whole peas 2 boiled eggs, sliced into rounds 1/4 cup fried garlic 1/4 cup green onions, sliced Crushed pork rinds 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Did you know: Pancit is commonly served at birthday celebrations because noodles represent long life and good health.
Preparation: 1. In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and saute the garlic for a minute then add the carrots and 1 cup of the chicken broth . Cook until carrots are tender. Add snap peas and napa cabbage, cook until all veggies are tender but crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add soy sauce, patis (fish sauce) and pepper, stirring to flavour. Remove a cup of mixture for topping.
2. Add noodles and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, cook until liquid is absorbed and noodles are cooked, 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, pour remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and season with black pepper and patis. Place noodles in a Pyrex dish and garnish with the cup of reserved cooked topping, shredded chicken, cooked shrimp, whole peas, sliced boiled eggs , fried garlic, green onions, pork rinds and lemon wedges. Dig in!!
Did you know: Patis is a pungent-tasting flavoring sauce and condiment made from salted, fermented fish. The history of patis came from early Chinese fishermen who would layer their catch of small fish in barrels with salt for preservation, which in turn produced a protein-rich sauce, patis!
Chocolate Pavlova (meringue-based dessert) This dessert was created by a Kiwi chef who named it after Russian ballet dancer, Ánna Pávlova, during her world tour visit to New Zealand in 1926. Commonly known as the "pav", it is a meringue-based cake with a crispy crust and marsh-mellowly soft inner centre.
Ever since I've started making this chocolate variation over six years ago, it has consistently been a crowd pleaser and have to give credit to Nigella Lawson for this gorgeous creation. Fabulous in both presentation and taste, it is a lovely summer dessert because you can dress it up in seasonal berries and fruits, enjoy!
Did you know: Pavlova and meringue are very similar in the ingredients and how it is baked but the main difference between Pavlova and meringue is the internal consistency. Pavlova's centre has a softer marshmellow texture, yummy!
Topping 2 cups whipping cream 1/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 4 cups mixed fruit (I love using berries for this dessert!) 1 oz bittersweet chocolate, grated
Did you know: The world's largest Pavlova was baked in 2005 by students of New Zealand's Eastern Institute of Technology. The giant "Pavkong" stretched 210 feet and used 5,000 egg whites, 150 kilograms of sugar and 150 litres of cream. Wow!
Preparation: 1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.
3. Mound on to the lined cookie sheet in a fat circle approximately 9" in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 300 degrees and cook for 1 hour. When it’s ready, the Pavlova should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the marshmallow centre beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate Pavlova cool completely. 4. When you’re ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the sugar and vanilla extract into the whipping cream then pile it on top of the Pavlova. Scatter y0ur choice of fruit over the whipping cream. Coarsely grate the chocolate over the fruit. Serve immediately and get ready to receive loads of compliments for this delectable treat!
Summer or Fresh Roll Vietnamese summer rolls served cold are refreshing appetizers on those hot summer days (here's hoping we get some soon!). The rolls hold fillings that typically consist of shrimp, chicken, pork, fruit, herbs and vermicelli rice noodles all tightly rolled in rice spring-roll wrappers. Paired with peanut dipping sauce, spicy Hoisin sauce or Thai sweet chili sauce (available in most grocery stores in the Asian section), these rolls are a tasty no-cook meal.
Did you know: Rice spring-roll wrappers just need to be quickly soaked in cool water to be tender and easy to work with. Over soaking makes them mushy and more likely to tear. For the best results, work with one wrapper at a time, rolling it up snugly so that the roll stays firm and tight.
Ingredients: Shrimp & Mint Summer Rolls 120 grams of vermicelli rice noodles rice spring-roll wrapper 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled, de-veined, cooked and halved lengthwise 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves 1 bunch of chives
Vegetarian Summer Rolls 120 grams of vermicelli rice noodles rice spring-roll wrapper 1 avocado, thinly sliced 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks 1 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks 1 small ripe mango, peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 cup fresh basil
Delicious Tip: Make sure you have ample counter space and all your ingredients are ready and easily accessible when you start to roll. This way you can assemble your rolls quickly and enjoy them that much faster!
Preparation: 1. Pour boiling water over the vermicelli rice noodles and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse. Divide into 8 equal portions. Fill a wide, shallow bowl with cool water. Working with one 8-inch rice spring-roll wrapper at a time, soak until pliable (20 seconds). Transfer to a smooth and flat surface.
2. Place a layer of desired fillings (suggested: Shrimp & Mint or Vegetarian Summer Rolls) on bottom third of wrapper. Top with a portion of noodles and another layer of fillings.
3. Fold bottom of wrapper tightly over fillings.
4. Roll over once, tuck in sides, and finish rolling. Transfer roll to a plate and cover with a slightly damp towel. Repeat to make 8 summer rolls. Serve immediately with dipping sauces (suggested: Peanut or Spicy Hoisin Sauces), or refrigerate up to 2 hours. Peanut Dipping Sauce (Makes 1 1/4 cups) In a medium cup, whisk together 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter and 1/2 cup warm water until smooth. Whisk in 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 4 teaspoons sugar. Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts over sauce before serving.
Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce (Makes 1 cup) In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup hoisin sauce, 3 tablespoons chili sauce (i.e. sambal ulek), 2 teaspoons white vinegar, and 1/4 cup water until smooth.
Try this: For a party, try making bite-size summer rolls with smaller wrappers so they can be easily snacked on by your guests.
This fusion recipe of Indian flavours delicately wrapped in Chinese wonton cups, make the cutest little appetizers. They're easy and take no time make but will surely be an instant hit with your family and friends at your next house party. 
