Easy Wonton with Oxtail and Eggplant

Try these Easy Wonton Recipe Oxtail & Eggplant!

I love eating stuffed Wontons, dumplings, empanadas, or any shape of dough stuffed with delectable food, especially pasta.  The surprise flavor when you bite into those little morsels of goodness is always exciting for me. 

Dumplings, in this case, are usually not that hard to make, but do take a little time to prepare the filling.  I had some beautiful Japanese eggplant from the garden and wanted to do something a little different with them. 

I also had some oxtail that needed to be used.  I ended up roasting the eggplant and combining it with cream cheese which kind of gave this recipe a rangoon type flavor.  I made a simple sweet chile sauce to accompany the wontons with and add just a little more depth of flavor.

This was a great appetizer I served that can be prepped ahead of time and just kept in the refrigerator or freezer until your ready to use.   Here is the recipe for the oxtail dumplings, I hope you enjoy them!

Oxtail and Eggplant Wontons with Peanut Chili Sauce

For the braised oxtail

• 4 lb oxtail
• 3 oz ginger sliced
• 6 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 whole onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 2 whole carrots chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp sambal
• 1 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup miso
• 1/2 cup tamari
• 1/2 cup oyster sauce (vegetarian)
• 32 oz chicken stock or water
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tbsp sriracha
• 50 pc wonton wrappers

For the eggplant

• 4 whole japanese eggplants
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp cilantro chopped

Peanut chili sauce

• 1 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp sambal or (4 thai chili)
• 1/3 cup peanuts roasted and chopped

Garnishes

• 3 tbsp green onions chopped

For the oxtail

• In a large braising pot or soup pot add 3 tbsp of sesame oil to the pot on medium high heat.   Season the oxtail lightly with salt and place in the hot braising pot. 

  Sear on each side for about 3 minutes.  Once you have seared the second side, move the center pieces of oxtails to the outer part of the pot so there is an empty space in the center of the pot. 

  Place all of the vegetables in that empty space (onion, ginger, garlic, lemon grass, carrot, celery, leek tops) and saute for 3 minutes.  Then add the mirin and reduce by half. 

  Then add miso, soy, sambal, oyster sauce, and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and cover with a lid.  Lightly simmer the oxtail or braise them for about 2 1/2 hours or until they are very tender. 

  Once tender and done allow to cool for 1 hour. Then strain out the oxtails and reserve the liquid.  Pick out the onions out of the pot and discard the rest of the vegetables.  Take the oxtails and pick off all of the meat making sure not to have any of the cartilage or bone. 

  Place the meat into a food processor with the reserved onions.  Pulse the meat to break up the big pieces and onions so they are really small but not a smooth paste, (you want texture). 

  Then add a little of the braising liquid to keep the mixture moist (approximately 6 oz).  Then season the meat with sriracha and a little salt if needed.  Set aside until ready to make wontons.

For the eggplant

• Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and place in the oven face down.  Roast in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minute or until tender.  Take out of the oven and cool completely.

  With a spoon scoop out the eggplant without the skin.  Place in food processor with cilantro and puree until smooth. https://www.whisperingcreekdentistry.com/   Adjust the season with salt and fold the eggplant puree into the oxtail mix. 

For the peanut chili sauce

• In a small pot add rice wine vinegar,sugar, and sambal. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer.  Cook for 7 minutes and then turn off the heat.    Then allow to cool to room temperature and then add the roasted peanuts.

To finish

• Take the egg in a small bowl and whisk for brushing.  Then place 10 wontons out at a time or as many that can fit flat on your cutting board at one time.  Place a small spoonful of the oxtail-eggplant mixture down in the center of the wonton wrapper. 

  Continue the same steps with the rest of the wonton wrappers.  Then take a brush and dip it into the egg and brush 2 consecutive sides of the wonton .  Fold the wonton over so you have a triangular shape. 

  Then take the egg brush and dab one corner.  Fold the opposite corner on top of the brushed corner and press to seal.  Continue with the rest of the dumplings.  Then place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and a dash of corn starch so the dumplings don't stick.   

  Heat fryer with vegetable oil up to 325 degrees. Place a few wontons in the fryer and fry them until golden brown (approximately 2-3 minutes)  Strain out onto a paper towel.  Then on a plate drizzle with peanut sauce and place the wontons on top.  Garnish with green onions.