Wonton Noodle Soup

Method27 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Soak the dried wood-ear fungus in its soaking water for about 20 minutes, until expanded and soft. Prepare the other filling ingredients while it soaks.

   Soak the wood-ear fungus · 20 minUses 2–3 pieces dried black wood-ear fungus, depending on size · Water, enough to soak the dried fungus

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Coarsely mince the raw lean pork (350 g), keeping it refrigerated until mixing.

   Uses 350 g raw lean pork, coarsely minced

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   Step 3: Mix the minced pork with the marinade salt (1 tsp), 2–3 tsp marinade oil, cornstarch, 2½ tsp light soy sauce and white pepper (1 dash). Cover and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

   Refrigerate the marinated pork · 15 minUses Coarsely minced raw pork · 1 tsp salt, for the pork marinade · 2–3 tsp cooking oil, for the pork marinade · 2 tsp cornstarch (cornflour), for the pork marinade · 2½ tsp light soy sauce, for the pork marinade · 1 dash white pepper

   
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   Step 4: Scrub and rinse the fresh water chestnuts to remove mud, peel them, and cut the flesh into small cubes.

   Uses 6–7 fresh water chestnuts · Clean water, as needed to rinse vegetables, fungus, dried anchovies and soya beans

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   Step 5: Shell and devein the raw prawns (15 medium) without splashing raw seafood around the sink. Cut each peeled prawn into 3–4 pieces and keep cold for the filling.

   Uses 15 medium raw prawns

   
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   Step 6: Wash and chop the two filling sprigs of spring onion.

   Uses 2 sprigs spring onion, for the filling · Clean water, as needed to rinse vegetables, fungus, dried anchovies and soya beans

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   Step 7: Peel the ginger and prepare the listed 3–4 thin slices for the broth.

   Uses 3–4 slices ginger, for the broth

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   Step 8: Drain the softened fungus, rinse thoroughly to remove grit from its grooves, and chop into small squares.

   Uses Only rehydrated fungus, excluding soaking water · Clean water, as needed to rinse vegetables, fungus, dried anchovies and soya beans

   
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   Step 9: Combine the marinated pork, chopped drained fungus, diced peeled water chestnuts, prepared raw prawns and chopped filling spring onion in a bowl.

   Uses Marinated raw pork · Only rinsed chopped fungus, excluding rinse water · Only diced peeled water chestnuts, excluding peel and rinse water · Only peeled deveined chopped prawns, excluding shells and discarded parts · Only washed chopped filling spring onion, excluding rinse water

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    Step 10: Crack the one filling egg into the pork-and-prawn mixture and mix until evenly incorporated.

    Uses Mixed pork-and-prawn filling · 1 egg, for the filling

    
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    Step 11: Cover and refrigerate the filling for 30 minutes. Keep it cold until wrapping and start the broth during this wait.

    Chill the wonton filling · 30 minUses Egg-enriched raw filling

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    Step 12: Rinse the dried anchovies and soya beans with clean water and drain them separately.

    Uses 80 g ikan bilis (dried anchovies), for the broth · 70 g dried soya beans, for the broth · Clean water, as needed to rinse vegetables, fungus, dried anchovies and soya beans

13. 13

    Step 13: Heat the 1 tbsp broth oil in a pot and fry the prepared ginger until aromatic. Add the drained anchovies and fry for 1–2 minutes, checking at 1 minute. Carefully pour in the 2 L boiling broth water after frying.

    Fry the dried anchovies · 1 minUses 1 tbsp cooking oil, for frying the broth ingredients · Prepared ginger slices · Only drained dried anchovies, excluding soya beans and rinse water · 2 L boiling water, for the broth

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    Step 14: Add the drained soya beans to the broth and bring the pot to a full boil.

    Uses Anchovy, ginger, oil and hot-water broth base · Only drained soya beans, excluding anchovies and rinse water

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    Step 15: Once the broth boils, reduce the heat to a steady simmer and simmer for 30 minutes, until the broth looks milky. When the filling has completed its refrigerated chill, begin wrapping the wontons while the broth simmers.

    Simmer the wonton broth · 30 minUses Boiling anchovy-and-soya-bean broth

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    Step 16: Strain the simmered broth through a fine sieve, removing and discarding the anchovies, soya beans and ginger. Retain only the liquid broth.

    Uses Simmered broth and spent stock solids

17. 17

    Step 17: Taste the strained broth before adding seasoning. Add only as much as needed from the 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp light-soy allowances, since dried anchovies can be salty. Keep the broth hot for serving.

    Uses Only strained broth, excluding discarded stock solids · Salt from the 1 tsp broth allowance, only as needed · Light soy sauce from the 2 tsp broth allowance, only as needed

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    Step 18: Take a wonton wrapper (100 g) from the 100 g supply and place about 1 tsp of chilled filling in its centre. Use less if needed to leave a clean edge that seals securely. Keep the remaining filling refrigerated while working.

    Uses 100 g wonton wrappers · Chilled filling drawn about 1 tsp per wrapper, only as much as fits securely

19. 19

    Step 19: Moisten two adjacent wrapper edges lightly with the clean sealing water, using the back of a small spoon or a clean fingertip.

    Uses Only filled wrappers being sealed, excluding cold surplus filling · Clean water, as needed to moisten the wonton wrapper edges

    
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    Step 20: Fold the moistened wrapper diagonally into a triangle, aligning its three corners.

    Uses Edge-moistened filled wrappers

    
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    Step 21: Gently press air out around the filling from the centre towards the edges, then press the edges firmly to seal without squeezing the filling out.

    Uses Folded filled wrappers

    
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    Step 22: Repeat the fill, moisten, fold and seal sequence with the remaining wrappers. Arrange sealed wontons in one layer without touching. Keep any filling that remains refrigerated and cook or freeze it promptly. To save raw wontons for another meal, freeze them promptly in a non-touching single layer, then transfer to an airtight freezer container once frozen; keep these separate from the wontons being cooked now.

    Uses Sealed raw wontons · Only cold surplus filling and any wrappers awaiting the same wrapping sequence

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    Step 23: Rinse the chye sim (250 g). Bring the separate blanching water to a boil in a wok, add the 1 tsp blanching oil, and blanch the greens for about 1–2 minutes, checking at 1 minute for tender, hot greens. Lift out and set aside.

    Blanch the chye sim · 1 minUses 250 g chye sim · Clean water, as needed to rinse vegetables, fungus, dried anchovies and soya beans · Water, enough to blanch vegetables and boil wontons and noodles separately from the broth; add hot water as needed · 1 tsp cooking oil, for blanching the chye sim

24. 24

    Step 24: Return the wok water to a boil and add the fresh wontons in small batches. Boil for about 5 minutes per batch, checking that the wrappers are cooked and a representative centre is fully cooked to 71°C (160°F), with opaque cooked prawn. Cook longer if needed for the filling size. Lift and drain the cooked wontons, then drizzle with only enough cooked-wonton oil to prevent sticking. If cooking saved frozen wontons, add them directly from frozen and extend cooking as needed to the same cooked-through endpoint.

    Check a batch of wontons · 5 minUses Only sealed fresh wontons selected for this meal, or the exclusive frozen portion, excluding saved surplus filling · Water, enough to blanch vegetables and boil wontons and noodles separately from the broth; add hot water as needed · Cooking oil, as needed to drizzle over cooked wontons

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    Step 25: Refresh the wok with more hot boiling water if it has become starchy, and bring it back to a boil. Loosen the Hong Kong noodles (1 package) and boil in manageable batches for the source 2–3-minute guide, checking at 2 minutes and following the selected package’s cooked-through directions.

    Check the Hong Kong noodles · 2 minUses 1 package Hong Kong noodles · Water, enough to blanch vegetables and boil wontons and noodles separately from the broth; add hot water as needed

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    Step 26: Lift the cooked noodles into the clean cool rinsing water and loosen them with chopsticks to remove excess surface starch. Drain, then plunge briefly back into the boiling wok water for the author’s few-second reheat. Lift and drain again and serve immediately.

    Uses Only cooked noodles, excluding boiling water · Clean cool water, as needed for the brief noodle rinse · Water, enough to blanch vegetables and boil wontons and noodles separately from the broth; add hot water as needed

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    Step 27: Divide the hot drained noodles, cooked wontons and blanched greens among five bowls and ladle over the hot seasoned broth. Add the optional ready crispy garlic (2 tbsp), ready garlic oil (1 tbsp) and chopped garnish spring onion (1 sprig) if using. Serve promptly.

    Uses Only drained hot noodles, excluding discarded rinse and boiling water · Only drained cooked wontons with their adhering oil, excluding boiling water and unused oil · Only drained blanched chye sim, excluding blanch water and unused water-surface oil · Hot seasoned strained broth · 2 tbsp ready crispy garlic, optional garnish · 1 tbsp ready garlic oil, optional garnish · 1 sprig spring onion, optional garnish, washed and chopped