My choice: Chili oil wonton 🌶🥟

My choice: Chili oil wonton 🌶🥟

What’s the most delicious thing I’ve tried in Singapore in 4 years? It’s hard to pick from a plethora of impressions, but now I would say it is undoubtedly a dish from Sichuan cuisine — chili oil wonton, or sometimes dumplings. These magnificent dumplings have become a real culinary discovery for me.

Where are they served? They are served in many places in Singapore, such as well-known restaurants Din Tai Fung, Paradise Dynasty, Crystal Jade, and also at food courts where locals and tourists can try this Sichuan specialty. Right now, I’m most fond of the version from Paradise Dynasty (pictured), but I try this dish everywhere to enjoy different variations.

How are they made? These dumplings are made from thin rice dough, and inside there may be minced meat or shrimp. The specialty is the sauce (or dressing) made of oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and spices with the addition of Sichuan pepper. By the way, I recently found out that Sichuan pepper is a unique product, and it’s the skin of fruits that grow on special trees. It has no relation to either red or black pepper.

How to eat them? You take a spoon, pour the sauce over the dumpling. You scoop up the dumpling with a spoon, making sure there’s sauce on it, and place it in your mouth. The dish is spicy but not scorchingly hot. Gradually your tongue, lips, and entire mouth become numb, but this numbness is not strong; it’s pleasant, happening due to the Sichuan pepper. Because of it, the chili pepper doesn’t burn (or rather, it does, but you don’t feel it). All this is very cleverly designed so that you can taste the flavors through the numbness. Very tasty!

Conclusion: All of this makes chili oil wonton not just food but a genuine culinary experience. The wonderful combination of ingredients, subtleties of flavor, and original presentation make this dish an integral part of my culinary journey in Singapore. You must try it!