Chicken Wonton Soup

Method16 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the napa cabbage (12 oz) and shake off excess water. Slice the leaves thinly lengthwise, then finely chop across them, or pulse torn leaves briefly in a food processor without mincing them. Mix with the ¾ tsp cabbage salt. Leave for exactly 30 minutes while preparing the other ingredients; squeeze it at 30 minutes, without extending this wait.

   Salt the chopped cabbage · 30 minUses 12 oz napa cabbage · ¾ tsp salt for the cabbage · Clean water for washing the cabbage, then drained

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Remove the stems from the fresh shiitake mushrooms (10) and dice the caps into ½-inch cubes.

   Uses 10 fresh shiitake mushrooms

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the 3 tbsp cooking oil in a wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced mushrooms and cook for about 5–8 minutes, until caramelized. Turn off the heat and let the mushrooms and retained pan oil cool before adding them to raw chicken.

   Caramelize the fresh shiitakes · 5 minUses Trimmed diced fresh shiitake caps · 3 tbsp cooking oil for the mushrooms; include the retained pan oil in the filling

4. 4

   Step 4: Finely hand-chop the raw chicken breast (1 lb) with a cleaver, or use the same one-pound supply as already ground chicken. Keep the chicken refrigerated until ready to combine the filling.

   Uses 1 lb raw boneless skinless chicken breast

   
5. 5

   Step 5: At the end of the cabbage’s 30-minute salting wait, squeeze it dry over a clean bowl and retain the released liquid separately. Keep the squeezed cabbage and its liquid covered until filling assembly.

   Uses Salted chopped cabbage and its released liquid

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Have the ginger (2 tsp) finely minced and scallions (¼ cup) finely chopped. In a bowl combine the cold chopped chicken, squeezed cabbage, cooled mushrooms with all retained mushroom pan oil, ginger, scallions, light soy sauce (2 tbsp), Shaoxing wine (1½ tbsp), oyster sauce (1 tbsp), sesame oil (1 tsp), sugar (1 tsp), white pepper (½ tsp) and chicken powder (5 tsp). Add 2 tbsp of the retained cabbage liquid; if unavailable, use the separate 2 tbsp clean filling water instead. Use the powder or its bouillon-paste alternative, not both.

   Uses Cold finely chopped raw chicken · Squeezed salted cabbage · Cooled cooked mushrooms with all retained mushroom pan oil · 2 tsp finely minced ginger · ¼ cup finely chopped scallions · 2 tbsp light soy sauce · 1½ tbsp Shaoxing wine · 1 tbsp oyster sauce

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Stir the filling in one direction with a rubber spatula or chopsticks for about 10 minutes, longer if needed, until thoroughly combined, sticky and paste-like. Cover and refrigerate while setting up for wrapping.

   Uses Combined raw chicken wonton filling

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Line a large sheet pan with parchment. Put the clean sealing water in a small bowl. Bring the separate taste-test cooking water to a boil in a small pot. Keep the filling refrigerated until ready to make the two samples.

   Uses Clean room-temperature water for sealing the wrappers · Water for boiling the two taste-test wontons, then drained

9. 9

   Step 9: Make two sample wontons first. For each, moisten an edge of a square wrapper with a dab of sealing water. Put 1–2 tsp filling in the centre, reducing the scoop if needed to seal securely. Fold in half and press out air while sealing all sides. Dampen one filled-side corner, overlap the two corners and press them together. Place the samples on the lined tray.

   Uses Two square wrappers from the two-package supply · 1–2 tsp filling per sample, only enough to seal securely · Dabs of the prepared clean sealing-water supply

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Boil the two samples uncovered over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until they float, look slightly plump and the chicken filling reaches 165°F/74°C. Drain and taste only once fully cooked. Adjust the remaining raw filling with the listed seasonings only if needed, then keep it cold.

    Cook the two taste-test wontons · 5 minUses Two assembled raw sample wontons · Boiling water in the separate taste-test pot · Remaining raw mixed filling after the sample draws · Additional listed filling seasonings, only as needed after tasting a fully cooked test wonton

11. 11

    Step 11: Wrap the remaining wontons with the same folding technique and 1–2 tsp filling guide, using only enough to seal each securely. Arrange them on the parchment-lined tray without touching. Keep the raw filling and assembled wontons cold between batches. If the wrappers run out first, set any excess filling aside covered in the refrigerator rather than overfilling the wrappers.

    Uses Remaining taste-adjusted raw filling · Remaining square wrappers from the same two-package supply · Dabs from the same clean sealing-water supply

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Cook the desired wontons fresh, or freeze those being saved while still raw. Space them apart on the parchment-lined tray, cover and freeze level for at least 6 hours or overnight, until solid. Transfer solid wontons to airtight freezer bags or containers and keep frozen for up to the author’s 6-month storage guide. Cook from frozen without thawing.

    Uses Assembled raw wontons selected for freezing

13. 13

    Step 13: While cooking the wontons, heat enough ready chicken broth for the bowls being served until piping hot.

    Uses Ready chicken broth, enough for the bowls being served

14. 14

    Step 14: For fresh wontons, bring the main cooking water to a boil. Gently stir the water as you add an uncrowded batch. Cook uncovered over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the wontons float, look slightly plump and the chicken filling reaches 165°F/74°C. If the boil is too vigorous, add the optional ½ cup cold water. Lift out and drain the cooked wontons. Repeat for any further fresh batches; use the frozen route instead for frozen wontons.

    Cook a fresh wonton batch · 5 minUses Fresh assembled wontons selected for cooking · Water for boiling the wontons in uncrowded batches, then drained · ½ cup cold water, only if the cooking water boils too vigorously

15. 15

    Step 15: For frozen wontons, bring main cooking water to a boil and stir gently while adding an uncrowded batch directly from the freezer. Do not thaw them. Cook uncovered over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until floating and slightly plump with chicken filling at 165°F/74°C. Add the optional ½ cup cold water only if the boil is too vigorous. Lift out and drain. Repeat for further frozen batches; skip this route for fresh wontons.

    Cook a frozen wonton batch · 8 minUses Solid frozen raw wontons selected for cooking · Water for boiling the wontons in uncrowded batches, then drained · ½ cup cold water, only if the cooking water boils too vigorously

16. 16

    Step 16: Divide the desired drained cooked wontons among serving bowls and ladle over the hot ready chicken broth. Serve immediately.

    Uses Drained cooked fresh wontons, only when the fresh route was used · Drained cooked frozen wontons, only when the frozen route was used · Hot ready chicken broth