Playdate Special: Wonton Noodle Soup

The antidote to a blustery autumn day is a bowl of steaming goodness. Homemade wonton noodle soup is a favorite among my arsenal to combat the chill. In traditional Chinese cuisine, wontons are similar to dumplings in that they are both made with fillings and flour wraps. Made with square flour wraps, meat, and less substantial, wontons are charming as an appetizer when dressed with sauces, a perfect accompaniement to a light broth, or savory addition to a noodle soup.

This quick meal entices participation from our little chefs, since wontons are easier than dumplings to manipulate for small hands. Part of the fun is watching the kids' imagination take flight and see the various shapes they create. In written Chinese, a popular variant of this wrapped food literally means "swallowing clouds". In a steaming bowl of soup and noodles, the wontons do indeed resemble puffs of clouds and taste just delightful.

Wonton Noodle Soup

Wonton wraps are readily available in all Asian supermarkets. I prefer the Hong Kong brand, after some trials and errors - these are the right thickness and retain their shape in boiling water. Allowing the wraps to come to room temperature makes them more malleable and less susceptible to tears.

2 32-ounce chicken broth
1 package, 16 ounces thin egg noodles, cooked
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
4 bunches baby bok choi
1 1-inch ginger root
1 bunch scallions (spring onion), chopped
1 package wonton wraps (makes about 90)
1 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 cup grated baby carrots
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup fish sauce (optional)
additional salt (to season broth to taste)
1 small bowl water

Pour chicken broth in large stock pot and bring to boil. Bring water in a separate pot to boil. In a glass bowl, combine pork with the dry sesasonings (salt, garlic powder, ginger powder), 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1/4 cup of chopped scallion. When broth comes to a boil, add in sliced ginger root, 1/2 of the remaining scallion, fish sauce, and reduce heat to simmer.

Holding one piece of the wrap in palm of hand, place a teaspoon-sized meat mixture in the middle of the wrap. Dip index finger in the small bowl of water and moisten the edges of the wrap. Shape the wonton into desired shape by pressing the edges together.

To make a triangular wonton: Fold the square (with the meat mixture in the center) in half to make a triangle. Moisten the edges and bring the two lower tips to meet the top of the triangle.

To make a round wonton: Gather the edges of the square (with the meat mixture in the center) together so that it looks like a sack.

Put about 15 to 20 wontons in the boiling water and reduce to medium heat so that it's a gentle boil. Scoop out the wontons and drain after 10 minutes and set aside. Repeat until the desired number of wontons are cooked. Unboiled wontons may be frozen kept in the freezer for a few weeks.

Season broth with additional salt, if desired. Blanch the bok choi in the broth and set aside. Place about 1/4 cup egg noodles in a serving bowl. Top with 4 to 6 wontons, 2 to 3 bok choi leaves, and pour broth to cover the wontons and noodles. Drizzle sesame oil and garnish with the chopped cilantro and scallions.