Soup: Wonton Soup

I don't make soup very often to be honest.  But due to a recent post of mine on Instagram - a friend/follower asked me if the wontons fell apart when boiling the soup!
Total legit concern and I figured I would tackle it by teaching you via blog post - how to make your own wonton soup!

I'm sticking to basics here because my ex didn't care for seafood - so I kept the recipe simple.  Most wonton recipes call for shrimp and ground pork or chicken but I just stuck with ground pork.  Unless we had a guest coming over that didn't eat pork - then I switched to chicken!

Sorry in advance that my photos are kind of everywhere - one thing that annoys me about the Blogger site is not being able to put pictures exactly where and how I want them to go!

Here we go!

What you need:

• 400g of ground/minced pork or chicken (I find beef to be too heavy and greasy)
• Chopped up raw shrimp (optional)
• 1 package of wonton wrappers - thawed a couple hours prior to making soup
• green onions chopped
• ginger root - peeled and chopped into thin slices and some finely chopped for mixing into the meat
• Thin slices for the soup itself
• salt and pepper
• vegetable or chicken bouillon cube (I use those jelly-like blobs personally)
• Chinese 5 spice
• Noodles (optional) - udon for example work wonderfully
• Bok choy (bottom chopped off and stalks/leaves rinsed well and separated)
• Large pot for boiling water
• small bowl of cold water
• toasted sesame oil
• soya sauce
• *Sriracha optional

What to do:

1. Mix meat, shrimp (if using), half the chopped green onions, finely chopped ginger root and spices (except bouillon cube) and a hearty splash of soya sauce and toasted sesame oil.
2. Fill a large pot with water about half-way and set on medium heat.
1. Add the bouillon cube/jelly blob, ginger slices and splash of soya sauce and toasted sesame oil.
3. Set up your station with your mixed meat, your wonton wrappers and bowl of cold water nearby.
4. Scoop a bit of meat mixture (about a teaspoon and a half or so?) into the center of the wrapper.  
5. Dip your finger in the cold water and trace along the 4 sides of the wrapper.
6. Fold your wrapper from corner to corner (diagonally) so you have a triangle and seal it.
7. Dip your finger and wet the front of the triangle from the center to the mid point and press down both ends of the triangle and pinch down.
8. Continue to do this until you're out of meat mixture and wrappers and bring your pot of broth to a boil.
9. Add your bok choy, noodles and after a couple minutes - the wontons.  Try to plop them in one at a time and not too close together so they won't/shouldn't stick together!
10. When they float - they are ready!  Carefully scoop them out and serve in a bowl with the noodles and bok choy.  Sprinkle chopped green onions on top if you like.
11. I also love drizzling sriracha all over or dipping the wontons in it for more POW in the flavour department.
    
    **You can always add more veggies to this if you want, tofu cubed or whatever floats your boat!  This is super basic and seems to go over quite well with folks when I make these.
    
    **Leftover wontons (not yet cooked) can be frozen for next time in an air tight container  -although they might stick so try to freeze them with some space in between first.

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ENJOY!

And there you have it! A typical North American Chinese staple - easily made (with some time) in the comfort of your own home!  Most restaurants serve this with only 5-6 wontons in a bowl - but now that you have the knowledge and power - you can slap as many as you want into your bowl and nobody can judge you.  Or say no. Or stop you from having multiple servings!

XO,

Dominique