Thai Tung Tong – Crispy Money Bags with a Thai Touch
What is tung tong?
Tung Tong (ถุงทอง) are also called money bags because once fried, they resemble little golden and crispy money bags. These wonton wrappers hold a delicious filling, and when sealed and fried, they are simply irresistible when served as finger food or a starter. You already know how much we love Thai food, and this crunchy appetiser is on our list of favourite recipes, so we are happy to share the recipe with you!
What to serve with tung tong?
These delicious parcels don’t need an extra snack as an accompaniment, just a tasty dipping sauce such as plum sauce or sweet chilli sauce. If you would like some extra colours add a few vegetable sticks.
Which fillings are best?
There are many fillings suitable, such as a mixture of minced chicken, minced prawn, or a vegetarian option of minced mushrooms. We particularly like a mixture of prawns and pork as often made by our Thai friends.
Which wonton wrappers are best for tung tong?
There are several types and brands with variations in thickness. We prefer the thinner Shanghai-style dumpling wrappers because they are easier to use and fold.
Homemade wonton wrappers vs store bought
We usually promote homemade food, but wrappers are easily found in Asian stores and the quality and thickness is consistent. It is almost impossible to make them as perfectly as the store bought wrappers.
Why you must make wonton wrappers wet
To secure the filling inside each wonton wrapper, each one must be properly sealed after folding. Wetting the edges with a little water before pinching together prevents the wrapper from opening and avoids filling spilling out during the cooking process. Wetting is definitely needed for dumplings especially, however tung tongs are differently ‘folded’ and bind together with a string of chives, so you may not find it necessary to wet the wrapper. Try it and see what works best for you.
Thai Tung Tong – Money Bags
EQUIPMENT (click pictures for details)
Ingredients
- 6 pcs wonton wrappers
For the filling
- 30 gr minced pork
- 30 gr minced shrimp
- 15 gr chopped shiitake mushroom
- ¼ pc garlic clove chopped
- ½ tbsp chopped coriander
- ½ tsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp oyster sauce
- Pinch of sugar
Service
- 6 pcs blanched chives
- Sweet chilli sauce or plum sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the filling
- Mix all ingredients together and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Prepare the money bags
- Lay the wontons out on the worktop and place a teaspoon of the mixture in the middle of each wrapper. You can also make them one by one.
- Gather the corners and pinch them together to make a small bag. Place on a floured container or plate, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Service
- Deep-fry the wontons at 180°C until they are crisp & golden. Then drain them on a paper towel. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Tie the blanched chives around the money bag. Serve the sweet chilli sauce or plum sauce aside.
Notes
- You can moisturise the wonton skin with a little water to seal the corners.
- The blanched chives can be used to tie the tung tong before deep frying them.
- Tung tong can be made in advance to freeze. Defrost in the fridge 3 hours before cooking.
