Two Thumbs Up!

Last night I made two dishes that I had not made in at least 13 years.  I made a wonton dish and a scallion pancake dish, both from the Vegetarian Times Asian and Fast Cookbook.  Please don't tell my kids they ate mushrooms!  Made Alton Brown's classic rice recipe too, which was fabulous.

Mushroom and Black Bean Wontons
1/3 cup water chestnuts
4 oz. firm tofu
8 oz chopped mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped scallions
2 T black bean sauce with garlic
Wonton wrappers
1 T canola oil
Hoisin sauce

In a food processor, put the water chestnuts, tofu, mushrooms and scallions.  Blend til chunky.  Put in a bowl and add the black bean sauce.

Assemble the wontons!  Put a small bowl of water on the counter, and wet all four sides of the wonton wrapper.  Put 1 teaspoon of filling in and form a triangle.  Wrap all wontons.

In a nonstick skillet, heat oil and add 8 wontons (they should not touch each other).  Cook three minutes and flip.  Cook an additional 3 minutes.  Continue til all wontons are cooked.  You can keep them warm in a warm oven.

Scallion Pancake
1 1/2 c flour
1 t salt
1/2 cup + 1 T hot water
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 1/2 t sesame oil
1 T canola oil

Place flour and salt in food processor.  While running, add water until dough almost forms a ball and then add scallions.  Process until a ball forms.  Knead by hand on a flour board for 1 minute.  Let rise for 10 minutes.

Roll dough on a floured surface into an 8 inch square.  Brush with sesame oil.  Starting at the end closest to you, roll the dough into a right jelly roll.  Slice into three equal parts.  Roll each one on a floured board into a 6 inch oval.

Heat 1 t. of the oil in a non stick skillet over medium heat.  Place one oval in the skillet.  Lower heat to medium- low.  Heat for 4 minutes.  Flip and heat for four minutes.  Cut into triangles.