Cantonese Wonton Soup

• •8 oz shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped into bite-sized chunks
• •6 oz ground pork (preferably 70/30 meat-to-fat ratio)
• •28 sheets thin Hong Kong-style square wonton wrappers
• •1 large egg white
• •1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• •1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• •1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• •1.5 teaspoon cornstarch
• •0.5 teaspoon sugar
• •0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
• •0.5 teaspoon ground white pepper
• •6 cup rich chicken stock or homemade pork-chicken broth
• •2 tablespoon dried shrimp, rinsed and drained
• •3 slices fresh ginger, sliced into thin coins
• •1 tablespoon light soy sauce (for broth)
• •1 teaspoon fish sauce
• •0.5 teaspoon rock sugar or granulated sugar (for broth)
• • to taste salt
• •0.3 teaspoon ground white pepper (for broth)
• •0.5 cup fresh yellow chives, rinsed and cut into 1-inch lengths
• •2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
• •0.5 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (for finishing)

Instructions

1. 1

   In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork, egg white, Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, cornstarch, 0.5 teaspoon sugar, 0.5 teaspoon sea salt, and 0.5 teaspoon ground white pepper. Stir vigorously in one direction with a pair of chopsticks or a fork for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky, pale, and emulsified.

2. 2

   Gently fold in the chopped shrimp until evenly distributed throughout the pork mixture. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up.

3. 3

   Assemble the wontons: Place a wonton wrapper flat on your palm. Spoon approximately 1 rounded teaspoon of filling onto the center. Dab a tiny bit of water along the top edges with your fingertip. Bring the sides up around the filling, loosely bunching and pressing the wrapper together above the filling into a pouch or 'goldfish tail' shape, ensuring the meat is sealed tightly and air pockets are squeezed out. Place on a parchment-lined tray and repeat with the remaining wrappers.

4. 4

   Prepare the broth: In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock, dried shrimp, and ginger slices. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes to infuse the stock with umami. Remove the ginger slices with a slotted spoon, then season the broth with 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, fish sauce, 0.5 teaspoon rock sugar, 0.25 teaspoon white pepper, and salt to taste. Keep hot over low heat.

5. 5

   Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rapid rolling boil. Working in batches if necessary, carefully drop the wontons into the boiling water. Gently stir once with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking to the bottom. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes; once the wontons float to the surface, cook for an additional 1 minute until the wrappers are translucent and the filling is completely cooked through.

6. 6

   While wontons are cooking, divide the fresh yellow chives, sliced scallions, and a dash of sesame oil into four serving bowls.

7. 7

   Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to lift the wontons out of the cooking water, shaking off excess liquid thoroughly. Divide wontons evenly among the prepared bowls (about 6 to 7 per bowl).

8. 8

   Ladle the piping-hot infused broth over the wontons and aromatics, finish with an extra sprinkle of ground white pepper, and serve immediately.

Chef's Tips

• 💡Always cook wontons in a separate pot of plain boiling water rather than directly in the broth; the flour coating on the wrappers will make the delicate soup cloudy and starchy.
• 💡Stirring the pork filling vigorously in one direction develops myosin proteins, giving Cantonese wontons their prized springy, bouncy texture.
• 💡Yellow chives (gau choy) are traditional in Hong Kong wonton soup and provide an unmistakable, delicate garlicky aroma that green scallions alone cannot replicate.
• 💡Do not overfill the wontons; delicate wrappers and an ethereal trailing wrapper 'tail' are hallmarks of authentic Cantonese wontons.