Pork and Shrimp Wonton / Hoành Thánh

Wontons originate from China, and with their occupation of Vietnam for thousands of years, inevitably, part of the culture and food became intertwined. Wontons, however, arrived in Vietnam sometime in the 19th century when Chinese immigrants settled there, bringing along their culinary traditions. Chinese wontons and Vietnamese Hoành Thánh are very similar and actually nearly identical, but there are some differences in toppings, seasonings, and shapes depending on who and where they’re made.

Wontons symbolize wealth and prosperity and were initially made in the shape of gold ingots. Admittedly, I have chubby fingers, so wrapping wontons is not one of my strong suits. If you want to add pleats or make them into more beautiful shapes, go for it! If you like kitchen gadgets, you could also use a wonton press to simplify the process further.

For me, the easiest way is to add a little bit of filling to the middle of the wonton wrapper, fold it into a triangle, and then bring the two sides together into the center. You can use a little egg wash or water to help seal them. It’s important not to overfill them, as we don’t want them exploding out of the wrapper during the cooking process.

These are great to make ahead of time and keep in the freezer well. Assemble your wontons and freeze them in a single layer on a baking tray before transferring them to a plastic bag or container. These wontons are perfect on their own with a little bit of dipping sauce but are even better in mì hoành thánh (wonton noodle soup). Make sure you visit that recipe if you want to learn how to make it!