Golden Purses Thai Appetizer

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
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Updated on 01/5/22
Golden Purses Thai Appetizers on a platter with a side of sauce

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Total: 28 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
481 Calories
26g Fat
53g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 481
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 882mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 14mg 71%
Calcium 58mg 4%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 163mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This delicious Thai treat makes a great party appetizer. Golden purses are a classic Thai snack or appetizer with shrimp or crabmeat as the main ingredient (roasted chicken or turkey can also be substituted). It's a Thai recipe that's easy to make and can be put together ahead of time if you're planning on having company. Just make up the purses, put them in the refrigerator, then fry up with company arrive. Thai sweet chili sauce makes a great accompaniment and can be purchased at most large grocery store chains these days.

The chives are used to tie the purses, so keep them as long as possible. You will need one chive per purse plus a few extra.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cooked shrimp

For the Spice Paste:

For Frying and Serving

  • Wonton wrappers

  • 1 cup canola oil, as needed for frying

  • 30 fresh chives

  • Thai sweet chili sauce, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Golden Purses Thai Appetizer ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Place cooked shrimp in a food processor or chopper. Add all the spice paste ingredients, then process well.

    Shrimp and spices in a food processor

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Taste-test this mixture, adding 1/2 tablespoon more fish sauce if not salty enough.

    Fish sauce added to the shrimp mixture in the food processor and fish sauce in a cup

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. To create the purses, you will need a brush (like a pastry brush) and a small bowl of water. Place 4 to 6 wonton wrappers out over a clean surface (a countertop or chopping board work well). Dip the brush in water and wet 1 inch around the periphery of each wrapper.

    Wonton wrappers brushed with water and water in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Place a small amount (1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon) of filling in the middle of each wrapper. Now lift up the sides of the wrappers and pinch them together over the filling.

    Tip: It helps if you wet your fingers as you pinch in order to secure the purse.

    Wonton wrappers with filling sealed at the top

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Place the finished purses on a clean plate. Continue making the purses in this way until all the filling has been used up.

    Uncooked Golden Purse dumplings on a platter

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Pour oil into a wok or small frying pan, so that oil is at least 1-inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat. When oil forms moving lines across the bottom of the pan, try dipping in the corner of a wonton wrapper. If the oil starts to sizzle around the wrapper, it's ready for frying. If nothing happens, wait another minute and try again.

    Oil in a wok

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. When the oil is hot enough, use tongs to lay 4 or 5 purses on their sides in the pan. Allow to fry 30 seconds, or until they turn golden-brown, then turn over. Fry until the purses are uniformly golden-brown, then drain on a clean tea towel or paper towel. Keep purses warm in the oven until ready to serve.

    Golden Purses Thai Appetizers frying in wok with oil

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Before serving, tie each purse with a chive. You have to do this carefully, or the chive with snap. We find it helps to tie the chive first, then slip it over the top of the purse.

    Fried Golden Purses Thai Appetizer on a platter, garnished with chives

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Serve the purses with Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping.

    Golden Purses Thai Appetizer served on a platter with sweet chili sauce

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Both round and square wonton wrappers will work for this recipe.
  • Switch from canola to your preferred cooking oil with a high smoke point.
  • Make-ahead tip: If you're expecting guests, cover the plate of stuffed wonton purses and refrigerate until just before (or just after) guests arrive—up to 24 hours ahead of time. Then continue on with frying in Step 7.

Recipe Variations

  • Use crabmeat rather than shrimp, or substitute the seafood with 1/2 cup cooked chicken, pork, or turkey.
  • Instead of red chile, use 1 to 2 teaspoons Thai chili sauce.
  • Black pepper is a good alternative to white pepper.