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Authentic Fried Wantanes with Tamarind Sauce & Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
by Giacomo Bocchio
recipe intermediate Peruvian-Chinese (Chifa)

Authentic Fried Wantanes with Tamarind Sauce & Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

Learn to make authentic Peruvian-Chinese fried wantanes with a pork filling, accompanied by two classic dipping sauces: the true tamarind sauce (a Peruvian chifa invention) and a versatile sweet-and-sour sauce with ginger. Guest chef Pati Chong shares her expertise on chifa cuisine.

40m Prep
30m Cook
1h 10m Total
4 Servings
chifa wonton wantan deep-fried tamarind sweet-and-sour pork dumplings peruvian-chinese sauces pati-chong

Ingredients

Salsa Agridulce
  • 30 g Ginger (kion) (sliced with skin, 5-6 slices)
  • 250 ml Water
  • 3 tbsp Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Soy sauce (sillao)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce optional
  • 0.5 tsp Sesame oil
  • 0.25 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Potato starch (chuño) (dissolved in water)
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable oil (for sautéing ginger)
Salsa Tamarindo
  • 120 g Tamarind pulp (with seeds)
  • 1 L Water
  • 3 tbsp Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Sugar
  • 2 tsp Soy sauce (sillao)
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Potato starch (chuño) (dissolved in water)
  • 0.5 tsp Sesame oil optional
Wantanes
  • 250 g Wonton wrappers
  • 400 g Pork shoulder (bondiola) (finely diced brunoise style)
  • 70 g Scallion (white part) (fine brunoise)
  • 20 g Potato starch (chuño)
  • 1 unit Egg (beaten, for sealing and binding)
  • 1 tbsp Soy sauce (sillao)
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 0.25 tsp Black pepper
  • 1.25 L Vegetable oil (for frying)

Steps

  1. 1
    Prepare the tamarind sauce: Bring 1 liter of water to a boil. Add 120g of tamarind pulp (with seeds) and simmer, breaking it apart with a spoon to release the pulp from the seeds. Reduce to about one quarter.
    Tip: The tamarind sauce was invented in Peruvian chifas in the 1920s-30s as a local substitute for expensive Chinese plum sauce.
    ~15 min
  2. 2
    Strain the tamarind reduction through a sieve, scraping thoroughly to extract all the pulp. Return the strained liquid to the pot and bring to a boil.
    Tip: Scrape the bottom of the sieve well — that's where the most concentrated flavor is.
    ~3 min
  3. 3
    Add ketchup, sugar, salt, and soy sauce (sillao) to the tamarind liquid. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and integrate all ingredients. No vinegar needed — the tamarind provides natural acidity.
    Tip: Ketchup is preferred over tomato paste because its built-in sweetness and acidity harmonize better with Chinese-style cooking.
    ~3 min
  4. 4
    Dissolve the potato starch (chuño) in cold water and add to the simmering sauce to thicken it. Optionally add a few drops of sesame oil. Never taste with the cooking spoon — use a separate tasting spoon to avoid breaking the starch bond with saliva enzymes.
    Tip: Chuño (potato starch) has more thickening power than cornstarch (maicena). The sauce keeps 7-10 days refrigerated.
    ~2 min
  5. 5
    Prepare the sweet-and-sour sauce: Slice ginger (kion) into 5-6 rounds with the skin on. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and sauté the ginger slices until golden and aromatic.
    Tip: Leave the skin on the ginger — it concentrates more therapeutic properties, aroma, and flavor. Clean ginger by soaking 10-20 min, scrubbing with a brush, then air-drying.
    ~3 min
  6. 6
    Add ketchup to the ginger and sauté briefly to bloom the flavor. Add water, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Optionally add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil.
    Tip: Worcestershire sauce is commonly used in southern Chinese-style sweet-and-sour sauces for added depth.
    ~3 min
  7. 7
    Add a few drops of sesame oil, then thicken the sweet-and-sour sauce with dissolved potato starch (chuño). Set aside.
    Tip: This versatile sauce pairs well not just with wantanes but with any fried food — chicken chicharrón, for example.
    ~2 min
  8. 8
    Prepare the filling: Cut the pork shoulder (bondiola) into very thin slices, then julienne, then fine brunoise. Finish chopping with two knives to achieve an even, fine texture — do not use ground meat, as hand-chopped gives better texture.
    Tip: Choose bondiola (pork shoulder) for its higher fat content (10-30% fat), which gives the filling more juiciness and flavor. Can substitute chicken or shrimp.
    ~10 min
  9. 9
    Prepare the scallions: trim roots, remove wilted outer leaves, rinse, then dry before slicing. Cut the white and light green parts into fine rounds (1-2mm). Add to the pork along with salt, pepper, soy sauce, beaten egg, potato starch, and sesame oil. Mix well and let rest 10 minutes.
    Tip: The white part of scallions includes the light green section up to where the dark green starts. Always dry scallions before storing to extend their life.
    ~15 min
  10. 10
    Assemble the wantanes: Place a wrapper in a diamond shape. Add about 7-10g of filling near the top point. Fold the top point over the filling, roll to the middle, press the sides to seal, brush one corner with beaten egg, fold both bottom corners together (back corner goes over front) and press firmly. Place on a tray dusted with cornstarch.
    Tip: Use beaten egg (not water) to seal the wantanes for a firmer bond that won't open during frying. Half a kilo of wrappers yields about 32-34 pieces.
    ~15 min
  11. 11
    Deep fry the wantanes at 150-160°C (300-320°F) until golden and cooked through. Do not use high heat or the outside will brown before the filling cooks. Serve hot with both sauces.
    Tip: Medium-low temperature is critical — the generous filling (7-10g) needs time to cook through without burning the wrapper.
    ~8 min

Nutrition (per serving)

520
Calories
22g
Protein
48g
Carbs
28g
Fat
2g
Fiber
Cultural Context
Wantanes are a cornerstone of Peruvian chifa cuisine, the fusion of Chinese and Peruvian cooking that emerged in the early 20th century when Chinese immigrants opened restaurants in Lima. The tamarind sauce is notably a Peruvian invention — not Chinese — created by chifa cooks in the 1920s-30s as a local substitute for expensive imported plum sauce (mai sin). They discovered that tamarind, already popular in Peruvian markets as a digestive treat, could produce a fruity, tangy sauce that harmonized perfectly with fried dishes.
Video thumbnail
Giacomo Bocchio
CÓMO PREPARAR LOS VERDADEROS WANTANES CON SALSA TAMARINDO | ELEVA TU JUEGO CULINARIO CON PATI CHONG
Watch on YouTube →
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