Not all oils are create equal
An easier healthy swap in your kitchen (although more expensive) is your oil choice, not all oils are created equal. In fact vegetable oil which is commonly used to fry wontons is far from healthy. Unfortunately companies have coined the name "vegetable oil" to enable the use of any type of oil coming from a vegetable, without having to change the label. These oils can include soybean, canola, corn, safflower, palm, and sunflower which are GMO crops and all highly processed.
The real health negative of these vegetable oils though is their high omega-6 content which increases risk of obesity, heart disease, arthritis, and IBS. Omenga-6 is a huge cause to chronic inflammation and completely intertwined in the Western American diet. However there are healthier alternatives such as extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil and sometimes you don't even need the oil like in this recipe for air fried veggie wontons.
And p.s. sesame oil is good for you! It has a natural balance of omega-6 and omega-3 which actually lowers our cholesterol! So don't be afraid to have a heavy hand on these heart heathy wontons.
Ingredients
Wontons:
Half a napa cabbage
2 tbsp course salt
4 medium carrots
1 bunch of green onions
1 package of shitake mushrooms
1 package of extra firm tofu
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 tsp garlic powder
1 package of wonton wrappers
Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chili oil (per preference)
1/2 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp green onion
1 tsp sesame seeds
Preparation
1. Chop mushrooms, carrots, and green onion into smaller pieces (alternatively can skip blending and mince all).
2. Add veggies to a hot pan and cook down water from mushrooms, roughly 5 minutes (add carrots first so they are more tender).
3. Then add 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Mix until combined.
4. Once vegetables are soft, place into a food processor or blender. Mix until pieces are minced.
5. Finely chop half the napa cabbage. Place in bowl and add 2 tbsp of course salt. Let sit for 20 minutes or until you can squeeze out water. Rinse salt from cabbage and squeeze out as much water as possible. Using a paper towel after hand squeezing can help rid of excess liquid.
6. Remove tofu from package and wrap in cloth, pressing out any excess water. You can also use a pan or heaver object to press water out if desired.
7. Add cabbage, sautéed vegetables, tofu, and chopped cilantro to bowl. Then mix in 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and garlic granules until combined.
8. Fill dumpling paper with 1 tsp filling (estimate here!), fold the filled dumpling paper in half and pinch to close, then wrap either end into the middle and pinch.
9. Fry in air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
10. Make the sauce by combining all ingredients into bowl. Stir until combined.
11. Add wontons to the sauce when ready to eat and enjoy!