Chinese Wonton Soup

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Chinese Wonton Soup

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All Chinese restaurants serve some form of wonton soup. The wontons may be filled with a mixture of pork and shrimp, a mixture of chicken and pork or with just shrimp or chicken.

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In all cases, the broth will be made from chicken and contain scallions, sesame seed oil and some sort of greens (usually watercress or spinach).

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You can easily make the same soup at home using purchased, frozen wonton wrappers or you can make the wrappers from scratch.

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Making Wonton skins is not difficult but it is time consuming. Even the Chinese prefer buying them. They are available frozen at all Chinese markets and at many super markets and will keep frozen for months.

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The first two recipes are for two different wonton fillings. The third recipe is for preparing the broth and finishing the soup. The final recipe is for preparing your own wonton or eggroll skins if you so desire.

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Pork and Shrimp Filling:

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½ Lb. Lean Ground Pork

6 Oz. Fresh Shrimp (cleaned and cut into pea-sized pieces)

2 Scallions (cut into pea-sized pieces including the green parts)

1 Beaten Egg

2 Teaspoons Sesame Seed Oil

2 Teaspoons Dry white Wine

1 Tablespoon Thin Soy Sauce

¼ Teaspoon Sugar

Ground Pepper to taste

Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to stuff the wonton skins.

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Chicken and Pork Filling:

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2 Oz. Lean Ground Pork

3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (Cut into small pieces and mince it or buy it already ground)

2 Scallions (cut into pea-sized pieces including the green parts)

½ Teaspoon Finely Minced Fresh Ginger Root

1 Egg White beaten

1 Teaspoon Cornstarch

2 Teaspoons Sesame Seed Oil

2 Teaspoons Dry White Wine

2 Teaspoons Thin Soy Sauce

¼ Teaspoon Salt

Ground Pepper to taste

Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to stuff the wonton skins.

You can substitute turkey for the chicken, you can eliminate the pork or you can use minced shrimp instead of the chicken-pork mixture if you prefer.

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Difficulty:

Moderate

Preparation Time:

60 Minutes

Cooking Time:

30 Minutes

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Broth Mixture:

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4 Cups Clear Chicken Broth

¼ Teaspoon Sugar

½ Teaspoon Salt

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3 Scallions (cut into pea-sized pieces including the green parts)

1 Tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil

4 Oz of Fresh Spinach or Watercress (Discard any hard stems and blanch in boiling water)

40 Wonton Skins (If they are frozen, defrost them before using them)

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Preparation:

1. Cover the wonton skins with a damp cloth to keep them moist and have a small bowl of water handy for sealing the skins.
2. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wonton skin, brush a little water along one edge and securely seal each wonton with your fingers.
3. Once you have finished making all of the wontons, bring the broth to a boil and simmer over low heat.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, drop the wontons in and cook them for seven minutes.
5. Remove the wontons with a drainer or a slotted spoon and place them in a large serving bowl along with the scallions and sesame seed oil.
6. Pour the hot broth over the wontons and add the spinach or watercress.
7. Serve with soy-chili or soy-sesame dip.

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Soy-chili dip:

Mix 4 tablespoons of black soy sauce with 2 teaspoons of chili oil.

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Soy-sesame dip:

Mix 4 tablespoons black soy sauce with 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil.

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Wonton or Egg Roll Skins:

(Makes 80 wonton or 20 egg roll skins)

3 Cups of All-purpose Flour

½ Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs Beaten

¾ Cup Cold Water

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Cooking Instructions:

1. Sift the flour and the salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center of it.
2. Add the eggs and mix with your hands while gradually adding the water.
3. When the mixture forms a soft dough, place it on a floured board and continue to knead it until it becomes elastic.
4. Place the dough in a bowl, cover it with a damp towel and allow it to rest for 45 minutes at room temperature.
5. Divide the dough into 20 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Cover them with a damp towel to keep them from drying out while you work with each ball.
6. Roll out each ball on a floured surface until it is approximately eight inches in diameter (using a rolling pin).
7. Dust each one with flour and allow them to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before using them for egg rolls.

To use the skins for wontons, simply cut each one into four pieces like a pie. Fill them just like you would the purchased skins. You can freeze half of them for future use.

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