Crispy won tons are a long-time favorite in Hawaiʻi. From seeing it at potlucks and parties to getting a few as part of a plate lunch from a Chinese restaurant, it’s a staple that you can make at home. This recipe has instructions for making and freezing them ahead of time. And that makes it so much easier to access hot, crispy won tons when the craving hits.
This recipe is found in a book titled Sharing the Aloha Spirit Thru’ Cooking. Put together by Hawaiʻi County’s Department of Parks and Recreation Elderly Recreation Services, it was published in September 1990 for the 12th annual Hawaiʻi Kūpuna Friendship Festival that took place in Hilo.
The festival started in 1978 and brought senior citizens from other states to Hilo for learning, sharing knowledge, and friendship. The cookbook was a souvenir for festival goers to make meals that could remind them of Hawaiʻi.
There’s a good mix of recipes for local recipes, including salad dressings, main dishes, and desserts. There’s also a section that explains what a traditional Hawaiian Luau is and what types of foods you’d find there, including some recipes to recreate some of the dishes at home.
The filling for the won tons is seasoned enough that you don’t need a dipping sauce, but you can always go with the classic hot mustard and shoyu if you want.
This Foodie Friday is sponsored by Aloha Tofu.
Foodie Friday is a segment in the Akamai Recap newsletter that's a place to talk story and connect over food. If you have a favorite recipe or food-centric memory you’d like to share, feel free to send them via email to pclay@hawaiipublicradio.org
