Red Oil Wontons, the Freezer Way (Hong You Chao Shou)
Sichuan's most famous snack — frozen wontons drowning in a sweet-spicy-chunky red sauce — in ten minutes.
The story
Hong you chao shou is the Sichuan appetizer that converts everyone: soft wontons under a glossy sauce of chili oil, soy, vinegar and sugar. The freezer-aisle version is a legitimate weeknight upgrade — the sauce is the recipe, and it takes four minutes.
Ingredients (6 + pantry staples)
- Frozen wontons — 16
- Chili oil (with crunchy bits) — 2 tbsp
- Soy sauce — 1.5 tbsp
- Black vinegar — 1 tbsp
- Sugar — 1 tsp (counts here)
- Scallions — 1, sliced
Pantry staples used (don't count toward the 6): garlic (1 clove, grated). Not stocked yet? See the pantry page.
Steps
- Boil the wontons 5 minutes until floating and plump.
- Whisk chili oil, soy, vinegar, sugar and garlic in the serving bowl.
- Transfer wontons straight from the pot with a slotted spoon (a little wonton water loosens the sauce). Scallions on top.
Swaps
The sauce is also the answer to plain noodles, boiled dumplings and blanched greens.
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