Simple Wonton Soup

Method9 steps · about 2 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash all 10 oz baby bok choy thoroughly. Bring a pot of vegetable blanching water to a boil and add the bok choy. Blanch just until wilted, about 60–90 seconds, checking from 60 seconds. Drain, discard the blanching water and rinse the greens in clean cold water.

   Blanch bok choy until wilted · 1 minUses 10 oz baby bok choy · Clean water for washing and cold-rinsing bok choy as needed · Water for blanching bok choy as needed

2. 2

   Step 2: Squeeze as much water as possible from the drained, cooled bok choy from step 1. Very finely chop all the greens, using a food processor in small batches if desired.

   Uses All blanched greens, excluding discarded blanching and rinse water

3. 3

   Step 3: Combine all finely chopped greens from step 2 with the 8 oz ground pork, 2½ tbsp filling sesame oil, ⅛ tsp filling white pepper, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tsp filling salt and 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine. Mix thoroughly until cohesive and almost paste-like. Keep the raw filling refrigerated while setting out wrappers.

   Uses Squeezed finely chopped bok choy · 8 oz ground pork, preferably fatty · 2½ tbsp sesame oil for the filling · ⅛ tsp white pepper for the filling · 1 tablespoon soy sauce · ½ tsp salt for the filling · 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Set out the package of square white wonton wrappers (1 package) and a small dish of clean sealing water. Take one wrapper, moisten its edges and add about 2 tsp filling from step 3. Fold it in half and press the edges firmly closed. Draw the back edge toward you, bring the two bottom corners together and seal them with another dab of water. Make a couple of test wontons, keeping the remaining filling refrigerated and the wrappers covered.

   Uses Prepared bok-choy and pork filling · 1 package wonton wrappers · Clean water for sealing wrappers as needed

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Boil the first couple of assembled wontons from step 4 in a separate small pot of testing water until their wrappers are tender and pork centers reach at least 71°C. Lift, drain and taste only the fully cooked test wontons. If desired, adjust the remaining raw filling with a little extra Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt or white pepper. Repeat the folding with the remaining wrappers and filling from step 4, placing finished raw wontons apart on a parchment-lined sheet. The package commonly makes about four dozen; assemble as supplies permit without overfilling, and refrigerate any unused raw filling promptly. Discard the testing water after use.

   Uses Test wontons, remaining wrappers and prepared raw filling · Water for test-boiling and cooking wontons as needed · Shaoxing wine for optional filling adjustment, to taste · Soy sauce for optional filling adjustment, to taste · Sesame oil for optional filling adjustment, to taste · Salt for optional filling adjustment, to taste · White pepper for optional filling adjustment, to taste

6. 6

   Step 6: For soup now, cook the fresh assembled wontons from step 5 immediately, keeping them chilled while the broth heats, and continue to step 7. To save an uncooked batch instead, cover its spaced parchment-lined sheet and freeze immediately until solid, at least 6 hours or overnight, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months at best quality. Stop here for the stored batch; the following soup steps describe the fresh cooking route.

   Uses Assembled uncooked wontons only, excluding tasted test wontons, discarded testing water and any unused raw filling

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat all 6 cups ready chicken stock to a simmer in the soup pot. Stir in the separate 2–3 tsp soup sesame oil, plus soup white pepper and salt to taste. Keep the broth hot while cooking the wontons separately.

   Uses 6 cups ready chicken stock · 2–3 tsp sesame oil for the soup · Salt for the soup to taste · White pepper for the soup to taste

8. 8

   Step 8: For the fresh route selected in step 6, bring a separate roomy pot of cooking water to a boil. Stir to keep the water moving and add the assembled wontons one at a time without crowding. Keep a gentle boil and stir carefully; if they stick, let them cook until they release. If the pot boils vigorously, add 1 cup cold water as needed to calm it, then let it return to a gentle boil. Once the wontons float, cook another 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute, and continue as needed until the wrappers are tender and ground-pork centers reach at least 71°C.

   Check floating wontons · 1 minUses Water for test-boiling and cooking wontons as needed · Fresh cooking-route wontons only, excluding a batch frozen for later use · 1 cup cold water each time a vigorous boil needs calming

9. 9

   Step 9: Lift the fully cooked wontons from step 8 with a slotted spoon and drain them into serving bowls, leaving their cooking water behind. Ladle the hot seasoned chicken broth from step 7 over them. Top with all the chopped scallion (1) and serve promptly. Serve roughly six meal bowls or sixteen smaller appetizer portions from about four dozen wontons.

   Uses Cooked wontons only, excluding their cooking water · Hot seasoned chicken broth · 1 scallion (chopped)