Maybe it’s because I was born in Hong Kong, or maybe that has no factor in this whatsoever, but wonton soup is my absolute favourite comfort food. Like, OF. ALL. TIME. I’m just getting over a cold this week and this is basically what I want to eat every day. My recipe below is for Pork and Shiitake Wontons but if you like prawns, replace 100 grams of pork mince with 100 grams chopped prawn meat. The recipe below is in two parts: The wontons and the soup. Make the wontons first and then assemble the soup to order. Flash freeze any extra wontons for future meals. Enjoy!

Part 1
Pork and Shiitake Wontons

30 mins prep
Difficulty: Medium
Makes 30 wontons

INGREDIENTS

20g dried shiitake mushrooms
300g pork mince
2 spring onions, roots removed, rest finely sliced
1 knob of ginger, finely chopped or minced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp five spice powder
A pinch of ground white pepper (do not substitute for black pepper)
30 wonton wrappers (300g)

PREPARATION

1. Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl with 2 cups boiled water. Cover and sit for 15 minutes until mushrooms have softened. Using tongs, remove the mushrooms to a food processor and process until finely chopped. You can also chop the mushrooms with a knife and board. Reserve the mushroom soaking liquid.
2. Place chopped mushrooms, pork mince, spring onion, ginger, garlic, light soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, five spice powder together in a large bowl.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of the mushroom soaking liquid and mix with a spoon for 1-2 minutes until well combined. The mixture should resemble a thick paste.
4. Take a wonton wrapper and place a heaped teaspoon of filling into the centre of the wrapper. Resist the temptation to overfill or you will not be able to form a good seal. Fold the wrapper into a triangle, then make 6 pleats to close. Don’t worry about making perfect pleats, they will tighten up during cooking. Place folded wonton on a plate or a chopping board. Repeat until you have 30 wontons (or run out of filling or wrappers).

• Extra wontons can be placed in a single layer on a board and flash frozen. Once firm, add to a bag or container to freeze for storage. To cook from frozen, simply add 2 minutes to the cooking time.

Part 2
Wonton Soup

15 mins prep | 10 mins cook
Difficulty: Easy | Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

5 to 8 wontons per appetite
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup mushroom soaking liquid (or water)
2 slices of ginger
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp sesame oil
A pinch of ground white pepper (do not substitute for black pepper)
2-3 bok choy or 2 cups broccoli florets
Garnish: 2 Tbsp sliced spring onion, chilli oil
Optional: 2 portions cooked egg noodles

PREPARATION

1. In a medium saucepan, place ginger, garlic, chicken stock, mushroom soaking liquid (or water), oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and white pepper into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the ginger and garlic pieces.
2. Add wontons to the saucepan. Stir at the beginning to keep wontons from sitting on the bottom. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 6 minutes until wontons are fully cooked.
3. Cut bok choy into quarters and add to saucepan. Simmer for 2 minutes until bok choy is just cooked.
4. Divide into two bowls (with cooked egg noodles if using), garnish with sliced spring onion and drizzle with chilli oil.

Click here for more wonton recipes including Pork and Prawn Wontons and Vegetarian Wontons, click here.

This recipe was created for NZ Pork