Caramelised Chinese Melon and Ginger Wontons

The Challenge was to create your own desert wontons. I wanted to keep to theme and challenge myself with something new. I was quite surprised it worked as I’d never even opened one of these melons before. Called Chinese Bitter Melon, they are somewhat tasteless with a firm spongy flesh, a perfect contrast for the spicy ginger.

There are a few steps to this, but the good thing is the filling can be prepared the day before and refrigerated. Then you just make them to order.



Ginger

1 cup finely chopped ginger
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup of water
zest and juice of one lime

Place sugar, water and lime in a pot over a medium heat. Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Add ginger and continue simmering until sauce is thick and syrupy.

Take off heat and puree in a blender

Allow to cool and set aside.


Melon

1 Melon
½ cup of sugar
¼ cup of butter
½ teaspoon of ground pepperberry

Peel melon and chop into small cubes

Melt butter and sugar together add melon, and simmer until melon is soft. Remove the melon, and put sauce back on heat to thicken and reduce. Take off heat add melon and allow to cool.


Wontons

In the centre of a wonton wrapper place a small ball of the ginger paste, spoon melon on top. With the back of a spoon spread some of the juice from the melon on all side of the wonton. Bring the four corners of the wonton towards the centre and pinch together all the sides, to create a little package.

Heat a small pot of oil. To test if it’s ready, place a empty wonton wrapper in the oil, it should brown and crisp, quite quickly. Cook each wonton separately. Lower gently into the oil, it should be deep enough to cover the whole wonton. They only take 30 seconds or so to cook.

Serve Immediately