Name: Hoành thánh chiên Hội An — Hoi An fried wontons
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 24 square egg wonton wrappers, about 192 g at 8 g each; package sizes vary; 150 g raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, patted dry and finely chopped; 100 g raw ground pork, kept chilled; 15 g scallion, finely minced; 5 ml fish sauce; 0.5 g ground white pepper; 500 ml neutral oil, for about 2 cm shallow-frying depth in an 18 cm skillet; 15 ml neutral oil; 200 g fresh pineapple, cut into small dice; 250 g ripe tomatoes, cut into small dice; 60 g onion, thinly sliced; 5 g garlic, minced; 15 ml fish sauce; 8 g granulated sugar; 1 g fine salt; 5 g fresh red chili, thinly sliced (optional); 10 g cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

A wide tabletop view of Hội An fried wontons with shrimp, pork and glossy tomato-pineapple topping. — The plate sits to the right of the wide frame, with the crisp wontons and a small bowl of sauce in view.

Yield 4 servings, 24 wontons

Cook time 25 minutes

Passive time 0 minutes

Total time 55 minutes

Calories per serving about 405 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Hoành thánh chiên Hội An — Hoi An fried wontons

Hoành thánh chiên Hội An is a local fried take on the wonton tradition. Instead of folding each wrapper into a parcel, this version leaves the square open, with a small shrimp-and-pork filling pressed flat in the middle. The crisp wontons are finished with a warm, tangy-sweet topping of tomato, pineapple and onion. At the table, the contrast between crunchy corners and soft sauce is the point.

Wonton soup and noodle-soup versions are also found in Vietnam. This recipe is specifically the fried Hội An style, presented as one practical home version; fillings and toppings vary from kitchen to kitchen. Keep the sauce separate until the last moment so the wrappers do not soften before serving.

Practical

Tips for successPat the shrimp dry before chopping; excess moisture can loosen the filling. Press each portion into a thin, even pad and leave the wrapper corners bare. Fry in small batches and keep the oil between 170–175°C so the wrappers crisp without turning greasy.

Ingredients

Wontons

24 square egg wonton wrappers, about 192 g at 8 g each; package sizes vary
150 g raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, patted dry and finely chopped
100 g raw ground pork, kept chilled
15 g scallion, finely minced
5 ml fish sauce
0.5 g ground white pepper
500 ml neutral oil, for about 2 cm shallow-frying depth in an 18 cm skillet

Tomato-pineapple topping

15 ml neutral oil
200 g fresh pineapple, cut into small dice
250 g ripe tomatoes, cut into small dice
60 g onion, thinly sliced
5 g garlic, minced
15 ml fish sauce
8 g granulated sugar
1 g fine salt
5 g fresh red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
10 g cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Method

Keep the shrimp and pork refrigerated until you are ready to prep. Pat the shrimp dry, chop it finely and mince the scallion. Use separate boards and tools for raw meat/seafood and produce; wash your hands and tools after handling the filling.
Mix the shrimp, ground pork, scallion, 5 ml fish sauce and white pepper until sticky. Divide into 24 equal portions of about 11 g each. Keep chilled while you prepare the topping.
Place one portion in the centre of each wrapper and press it into a thin, flat pad, leaving all four corners bare. Keep the wrappers open rather than folding them. Cover the prepared wontons with a clean towel.
Make the topping: heat 15 ml neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Stir in pineapple, tomatoes, 15 ml fish sauce, sugar, salt and optional chili. Simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring, until glossy and thick enough to mound lightly on a spoon. Stir in cilantro off the heat.
Set a wire rack over a tray. Add 500 ml neutral oil to an 18 cm heavy skillet, aiming for about 2 cm depth; never fill the pan more than halfway. Heat to 175°C, then keep the oil between 170–175°C. Do not leave hot oil unattended or let water come near it.
Fry 4 wontons at a time, filling-side up first, for about 90 seconds per side until deeply golden and crisp. Keep the oil between 170–175°C between batches. Check the centre of the thickest filling with a clean thermometer; it must reach at least 71°C. If needed, fry in 30-second increments until it does. Lift with a spider and drain on the rack, not paper.
Arrange 6 wontons per plate. Spoon warm topping over the centres only, leaving the corners crisp. Serve immediately; keep the remaining fried wrappers and sauce separate until serving.

Practical

Practical guidance

The sauce should cling to a spoon rather than run across the plate. If it is thin, simmer it a little longer before the wontons are fried. Let the oil return to temperature between batches; adding too many wontons at once cools the oil and can make the wrappers greasy. A narrow-probe thermometer can be inserted into the thickest filling from the side. For make-ahead prep, chop the sauce ingredients and mix the filling, then cover and refrigerate separately. Fry the wrappers and spoon on the warm topping just before serving. Refrigerate leftover wontons and sauce separately in shallow containers within 2 hours, keep at or below 4°C and use within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 74°C; the wrappers will lose some crispness.

Troubleshooting

The wrappers are greasy: the oil may have been below 170°C or the pan overloaded. Fry fewer at a time and check the oil temperature. The topping makes the wontons soggy: reduce it until glossy and spoon it on just before eating, leaving the corners bare. The filling is not cooked through: return the wontons to the oil in short batches and check the centre reaches 71°C.

Frequently asked questions

Can I prepare the wontons ahead? Mix and chill the filling and make the topping earlier, but keep the wrappers covered and fry them close to serving time. Add the sauce at the table so the crisp edges stay crunchy. Can I bake or air-fry them? That is a practical adaptation, but it will not give the same blistered, fried wrapper. Follow your appliance’s wonton guidance and still check that the pork filling reaches 71°C.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving sizeabout 260 g, 6 wontons with topping
Caloriesabout 405 kcal
Carbohydrateabout 42 g
Proteinabout 18 g
Fatabout 19 g
Fibreabout 3 g
Sodiumabout 930 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat/gluten and egg in the wrappers, crustacean shellfish (shrimp), and fish through fish sauce. Check wrapper and sauce labels for additional ingredients and cross-contact warnings. Keep raw shrimp and pork at or below 4°C, and keep their utensils separate from produce. Because the filling contains ground pork, cook its centre to at least 71°C. Keep the frying pan no more than half full, monitor the oil with a thermometer, do not leave it unattended, and keep water away from hot oil. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74°C.

To finish

Serve the warm sauce over the centres only, with the golden wrapper corners visible.
Put the plate on the table as soon as it is assembled so each wonton keeps its crunch.

Hoành thánh chiên Hội An — Hoi An fried wontons

Practical

Ingredients

Wontons

Tomato-pineapple topping

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens and food safety

To finish

Vietnamese National Dishes

Hủ tiếu Sa Đéc — Sa Đéc rice-noodle soup

Canh cà đắng — Central Highlands bitter eggplant soup

Súp cua — Vietnamese crab and egg soup