HOME TAKE WONTON SOUP
Look, I’ll admit it, LA can get some things right. For example, takeout Chinese worthy of the name greasy spoon. However, I can’t with these places and their ‘more is more’ approach to wonton soup. All the veggies, meats and over-powering heat rabbling an already entropic dumpling melding to the bottom of the bowl. Wrong. Wrong!! I want simplicity. I want the $1.50 pint of wonton soup I could get with a beef and broccoli lunch combo back on the East Coast. What I’m saying is, less is more, and my Home Take Wonton Soup delivers on that; homemade dumplings lolling about in a savory, aromatic bouillon made with help from Pacific Foods Low Sodium Free Range Chicken Broth. Yeah, it’ll cost more than a buck-fifty to make and takes more time to make than to physically go and order carry-out wonton soup, yet there but for fortune goes a good recipe.
PREP/COOK TIME: 2 Hours 10 Minutes
Makes 4 – 8 Servings
INGREDIENTS
2 Cup – All Purpose Flour
1 Cup and 2 Tb – Water
1 Lb – Ground Pork
1 ¼ Cups – Finely Chopped Scallions, Stems and Leaves; Plus Leaves for Garnish
¼ Cup – Finely Chopped Cilantro
2 Tb – Finely Grated Garlic
4 – Garlic Cloves, Halved
1 Tsp – Kosher Salt
½ Tsp – Coarse Black Pepper
1 Tsp – Ground Ginger
2 Tsp – Sesame Oil
¼ Cup and 2 Tbs – Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce
2 (32 Oz Cartons) – Pacific Foods Organic Low Sodium Free Range Chicken Broth
THE NITTY GRITTY
In a large pot, add broth, garlic halves, ½ Cup Scallions and soy sauce; cover and bring to a slow simmer at medium low heat.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add flour; make well in center. Add water and combine till dough forms. Knead for 2 minutes; make a ball. Cover bowl tightly with cling film; let dough rest for at least 1 hour.
In another bowl, combine ground pork, ½ cup scallions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper, ginger and cilantro. Roll out dough about 1/8” thick; cut 2” rounds using the mouth of a ½ cup measure and paring knife. Fill rounds with about a little more than a teaspoon of filling in the center; fold over and pinch ends to hold filling.
In another large pot, bring 3 quarts water to a boil; add dumplings and cook for 4 – 5 minutes or till dumplings float to top.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to broth. Increase heat to medium; cover and simmer for another 4 – 5 minutes.
Garnish with scallion leaves and, entirely optional, Chinese Hot Mustard and more soy sauce.
FEBRUARY 4, 2020
