Makes 24
Although tequeños are native of Venezuela, Peruvians have adopted them as their own, and eat them whenever they get the chance. These fried cheese-filled wonton fingers, served with guacamole sauce, have inspired many new variations in the past few years. Here you have them filled with shrimp and served with ají amarillo sauce.
8 ounces shrimp, peeled
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg yolk
Salt and pepper
24 wonton wraps (you can get these in many supermarkets, or Chinese grocery stores)
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ají amarillo paste (or to taste)
Juice of ½ lime
Salt and pepper
1. Finely chop the shrimp and combine with scallions, egg yolk, salt, and pepper.
2. Put ½ tablespoon of this mix on one side of the wonton sheet, and roll the sheet around it, leaving a little edge unrolled. To close, wet your finger and pass it along the edge of the wonton sheet, and then finish rolling. Do the same to close the side ends, pressing with your fingers to make sure the dough sticks well.
3. You can do these first steps in advance, cover the uncooked tequeños, and keep in the fridge for up to 2 hours. Fry them right before serving.
4. For the sauce, combine mayonnaise with ají amarillo paste, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
5. Put ½ cup vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium/high heat, and fry a few tequeños at a time, turning them once until they are golden brown.
6. Transfer to a dish covered with paper towels, to absorb the excess oil.
7. Serve immediately with the ají amarillo sauce on the side, to dip them in.
Tequeños can be filled with crab salad, chopped roasted chicken, cheese, vegetables, or even cooked apples with butter and sugar. When it comes to this finger food, sky’s the limit.