Perfect King Prawn Wontons

Little Clouds of Joy

Wontons are one of the most beloved dumplings in Chinese cuisine, and for good reason. Their name literally means “little clouds,” a nod to the way they float and swirl through boiling broth like soft, delicate puffs of steam.

My king prawn wontons follow a classic technique that gives them their signature light and bouncy texture. The filling is mixed in one direction only, which helps the proteins bind together and creates that springy, juicy bite that great wontons are known for. A small pinch of baking powder subtly shifts the pH of the mixture, tenderising the prawns and giving the filling even more lift and softness.

Whether you enjoy them in a fragrant broth, dipped in chilli oil, or crisped up for a snack, these little clouds are pure comfort and a true celebration of traditional Chinese technique.

Perfect King Prawn Wontons

Little Floating Clouds

There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of wontons. Silky, springy prawn-filled dumplings floating in a fragrant broth — this dish is pure Chinese soul food. Light, flavourful, and nourishing, it’s the kind of recipe you’ll come back to time and time again.

Servings 6

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Ingredients

King Prawn Preparation

• 280g King Prawn peeled and deveined
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Ice cold water to cover

Filling Preparation

• 1/2 tsp Chicken Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Chinese Rice Wine or sweet sherry
• 1 tsp Oil Vegetable
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1.5 tbsp Corn Flour

Wrappers

• 36 Wonton Wrappers

Instructions

King Prawn Preparation

• Combine prawns with baking powder, salt, and just enough cold water to cover. Let sit for 30 minutes. This changes the pH and firms up the texture, making prawns juicy and springy.

Filling Preparation

• Drain prawns. Mince half finely
• Chop the other half roughly.
• Mix the finely chopped and roughly chopped prawns together with chicken powder, salt, sugar, & Chinese cooking wine

  Stirring in one direction only until sticky.
• Now add oil and sesame oil and continue to stir in one direction only.
• Finally add your corn flour and continue to mix in one direction until mixture is tacky.

Wrapping

• Place 1 tsp filling in the centre of each wonton wrapper. Fold, press, and seal tightly.
• Repeat until all the filling has been used.

Cooking

• Heat a saucepan of water, you want it deep enough that the wontons have plenty of room to bobble around.
• Once water is boiling drop in your wontons in batches of 6 to 8
• Every now and then give the wontons a stir just to ensure they are not sticking to the bottom of the sauce pan
• Once the wontons begin to float in the boiling water give them another 20 seconds and then fish them out.
• Serve with soup, or dress with a sauce.

Course: Breakfast & Brunch, Side Dish, Soups & Starters

Cuisine: Cantonese

Keyword: King Prawn, Wonton, wontons

Collection: Cantonese Recipes

Here’s how you make my Perfect King Prawn Wontons

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