Blistered Wonton Crisps with Nori-Sesame Salt

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Store-bought wonton wrappers turn into the most addictive chip in the freezer aisle's shadow: cut into triangles, they puff and blister in 60 seconds of hot oil, shattering like glass. A homemade nori-sesame salt goes on while they're still glossy, and a five-minute sesame-soy dip turns a snack into a proper appetizer. Baked instructions included for a lighter batch.

Ingredients

• 30 wrappers square wonton wrappers (about half a 12 oz package), thawed if frozen
• 4 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable, for frying

• 1 sheet toasted nori (sushi seaweed)
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp shichimi togarashi or cayenne (optional)

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions
• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce or sriracha, to taste

Instructions

1. Make the nori-sesame salt: toast the white and black sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until the white seeds are pale gold and smell nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. Slide them onto a plate to cool. Wave the nori sheet over a low burner or in the still-warm skillet for 15 to 20 seconds per side until it crisps and darkens slightly, then tear it into small pieces.
2. Pulse the nori in a spice grinder or mini food processor to coarse flakes (or crumble it very finely by hand). Combine with the sesame seeds, kosher salt, sugar, and togarashi if using. Set the bowl next to the stove — you'll season the crisps the second they come out of the oil.
3. Whisk the dipping sauce: soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, scallions, and chili garlic sauce. Let it sit at room temperature so the flavors marry; stir again before serving.
4. Separate the wonton wrappers into a single stack and cut the stack in half diagonally with a sharp knife to make 60 triangles. Peel the triangles apart into a loose pile so no two are stuck together — stuck wrappers steam instead of crisping. Keep them under a barely damp towel only if your kitchen is very dry; they should stay dry to the touch.
5. Pour the oil into a heavy 4-quart pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches and heat over medium-high to 350°F on a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan (or line a pan with paper towels) nearby.
6. Fry in batches of 8 to 10 triangles, dropping them in one at a time so they don't clump. They will blister and puff almost immediately; fry 30 to 45 seconds, flip with a spider or tongs, and fry another 20 to 30 seconds until pale golden with a few darker bubbles. Pull them just before they look fully browned — they darken on the rack.
7. Lift the crisps to the rack, immediately shower with a pinch of nori-sesame salt, and toss gently. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches (adjust the burner as needed; wonton wrappers cool oil fast). Repeat with the remaining triangles, about 6 batches total, 15 to 18 minutes altogether.
8. Cool the crisps 5 minutes — they crisp fully as they cool — then pile them in a wide bowl or on a platter with the dipping sauce alongside and any remaining salt sprinkled over the top.
9. To bake instead: heat the oven to 375°F. Brush both sides of the triangles lightly with neutral oil, arrange in a single layer on two parchment-lined sheet pans, and bake 6 to 9 minutes, rotating the pans and watching closely after minute 6, until golden at the edges. Season with the nori salt while hot.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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