Recipe: Walnut, vanilla bean & cream cheese wontons with oranges

MasterChef Australia’s Season 4 contestant Amina El Shafei shares her unique take on the Chinese wonton

INGREDIENTS

Wonton

• 16 egg wonton pastry wrappers
• 130g Philadelphia Cream Cheese block
• 1 vanilla bean, insides scraped & reserve pod
• 2 tablespoons finely-chopped walnuts
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• Fresh baby basil or dill fronds for garnishing
• 2 oranges, segmented

Orange syrup

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, strained
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• Reserved vanilla pod

METHOD

• Segment oranges and put cut pieces aside. Using the unused oranges, squeeze half a cup of juice and strain. Use the juice for the syrup.
• Combine the orange juice and sugar in a saucepan on high heat. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes until well combined and slightly thickened. Remove vanilla pod and leave aside to cool.
• In a bowl combine cream cheese, walnuts and vanilla. Mix together well. Take a wonton wrapper, and lightly dampen the edges with water.
• Place a small ball of the cream cheese filling in the centre and fold the edges into whatever shape you prefer. Repeat the process until all 16 wontons are made.
• Heat vegetable oil to 180 degrees Celsius. Carefully drop wontons in the hot oil, a few at a time, and cook until golden. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
• Assemble warm.

MasterChef Australia Season 5 airs on Lifetime, StarHub TV Ch 514, on weekdays at 7pm and 11pm.