Chinese Fried Money Bags

Method24 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Soak the dried wood-ear fungus (2–3 pieces) in enough water for about 20 minutes, until expanded and soft.

   Soften wood-ear fungus · 20 minUses 2–3 pieces dried wood-ear fungus · Water, enough for wood-ear soaking

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Coarsely mince the lean pork (350 g), using clean equipment, and keep it cold until seasoning.

   Uses 350 g lean pork

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix the pork with the salt (1 tsp), 2–3 tsp marinade oil, cornstarch (2 tsp), light soy sauce (2½ tsp) and white pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

   Cold pork marinade · 15 minUses All the minced pork from step 2 · 1 tsp salt · 2–3 tsp marinade oil · 2 tsp cornstarch · 2½ tsp light soy sauce · A dash of white pepper

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Scrub the water chestnuts (6–7) to remove mud, peel them and cut the flesh into small cubes.

   Uses 6–7 water chestnuts · Water, as needed to scrub water chestnuts

5. 5

   Step 5: Shell and devein the prawns (15 medium) without washing the raw flesh. Cut each into 3–4 pieces, using clean equipment, and keep them cold until mixing.

   Uses 15 medium prawns

6. 6

   Step 6: Wash the spring onions (2 sprigs), drain them and chop into small pieces.

   Uses 2 sprigs spring onion · Water, as needed to wash spring onions

7. 7

   Step 7: If serving the dipping sauce, mix the 1 tbsp chili sauce with the 2 tbsp mayonnaise. Keep it covered and chilled until serving.

   Uses Optional 1 tbsp chili sauce · Optional 2 tbsp mayonnaise

8. 8

   Step 8: Discard the fungus soaking water. Wash the softened fungus thoroughly, including the grooves, then drain and cut it into small squares.

   Uses All the softened fungus from step 1, discarding its soaking water · Water, as needed to clean softened fungus

9. 9

   Step 9: Mix the marinated pork, wood-ear squares, water-chestnut cubes, prawn pieces and spring onions in a clean bowl.

   Uses All the marinated pork from step 3 · All the edible cubes from step 4, with peel and washing water discarded · All edible prawn pieces from step 5, with shells and veins discarded · All chopped spring onions from step 6, with washing water discarded · All prepared fungus squares from step 8, with washing water discarded

10. 10

    Step 10: Crack the egg (1) into the filling and mix thoroughly until incorporated.

    Uses All the combined filling from step 9 · 1 egg

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Cover the filling and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Keep it cold while preparing the wrappers and optional garnishes.

    Chill mixed filling · 30 minUses All the raw filling from step 10

12. 12

    Step 12: If tying the parcels, wash and drain the chives, then cut them into thin strips for ties.

    Uses Optional 2 sprigs chives · Water, as needed to wash optional chives

13. 13

    Step 13: If using chive ties, briefly blanch the strips in boiling water for a few seconds, just until flexible. Lift them into ice water, then drain and pat dry on a clean towel.

    Uses All chive strips from step 12, with washing water discarded · Water, enough for optional chive blanching · Ice water, enough to cool the blanched chives

14. 14

    Step 14: If using the cucumber presentation, wash the cucumber and cut it into 1-inch-thick slices. Keep covered and cold for serving.

    Uses Optional 1 Japanese cucumber · Water, as needed to wash the cucumber

15. 15

    Step 15: Place one wonton wrapper on a clean work surface and put 1 tsp chilled filling in its center. Do not overfill it; keep the rest of the filling cold.

    Uses One wrapper drawn from the 100 g wonton-wrapper allowance · 1 tsp filling drawn from the complete cold batch in step 11

16. 16

    Step 16: Gather the wrapper edges around the filling, gently squeeze out trapped air and pinch firmly closed to form a small pouch.

    Uses The filled wrapper from step 15

17. 17

    Step 17: If using chives, tie a flexible strip around the neck of the sealed pouch. Repeat steps 15–17 with the remaining wrappers, using just 1 tsp filling each. Keep uncooked parcels and any unused filling refrigerated; cook or freeze the separate unused filling promptly.

    Uses The sealed parcel from step 16 · A chive strip from step 13 if tying the parcel · Remaining wrappers from the 100 g allowance · Further 1 tsp draws from the cold filling in step 11

18. 18

    Step 18: Heat the frying-oil allowance in a suitable wok over medium-high heat, with enough depth to immerse the filled bases of upright parcels. The rice-bowl capacity is unspecified; do not crowd the pan.

    Uses Oil from the literal 1 rice-bowl frying allowance

19. 19

    Step 19: Carefully lower 3–4 money bags into the hot oil, standing upright with their filled bases submerged. Fry for about 1 minute, or until the wrappers start to brown, then lower the heat to medium-low.

    First upright frying minute · 1 minUses A first batch of 3–4 prepared parcels from step 17, with remaining parcels kept cold · The heated frying-oil reservoir from step 18

20. 20

    Step 20: Continue frying the filled bases upright over medium-low heat for about 30 seconds, watching so the wrappers do not burn before the filling cooks.

    Second-minute upright portion · 1 minUses The current parcels and frying oil from step 19

21. 21

    Step 21: For the final 30 seconds of this second minute, carefully tilt or turn the money bags so their tops brown evenly in the oil. Check the filling: the minced pork must reach 71°C/160°F and the prawn pieces must be fully opaque. Continue cooking gently as needed without burning the wrappers; the two-minute guide alone does not establish doneness.

    Brown parcel tops · 1 minUses The current parcels and frying oil from step 20

22. 22

    Step 22: Lift the fully cooked money bags onto a plate lined with kitchen towel to drain excess oil. Keep ready for prompt serving.

    Uses All cooked parcels lifted from step 21, leaving frying oil in the wok

23. 23

    Step 23: Repeat the frying sequence in small batches with the remaining parcels, adjusting the heat and checking every filling for full cooking. Drain each batch on kitchen towel and collect it with the first cooked batch.

    Uses All remaining prepared raw parcels from step 17 · The oil retained after the first batch in step 21 · The drained first batch from step 22

24. 24

    Step 24: Serve the hot money bags with the optional chilled sauce and cucumber. For the pictured presentation, use a cucumber slice as the base and a clean skewer to hold a parcel upright; remove all skewers before eating. Share between five side portions.

    Uses All completed cooked parcels from step 23, with unused frying oil left separate · Prepared cucumber slices from step 14 if using · Prepared chilled dipping sauce from step 7 if using