Chinese wonton soup with delicate dumplings Recipe
Wonton soup is a classic from southern China – a light, clear broth with small dumplings that practically disappear from the bowl. In many Chinese families it’s a weekend lunch or dinner dish, a bit like chicken noodle soup in Poland. The dumplings are soft, springy and full of flavor, and the whole dish is surprisingly light.
Chińska zupa wonton łączy delikatny, klarowny bulion z maleńkimi pierożkami, które dosłownie znikają z miski po kilku łyżkach. To danie ma w Chinach funkcję „comfort food” – lekkie, ale sycące, podawane często w weekendy, kiedy jest czas na lepienie pierożków. Połączenie wieprzowiny, krewetek i warzyw w farszu daje zaskakująco głęboki smak mimo prostoty składników.
Chef's tips
Bulion gotuj na bardzo małym ogniu, żeby pozostał klarowny – gwałtowne wrzenie zrobi go mętnym. Pierożki zlepiaj dokładnie, szczególnie przy brzegach, bo nawet mała szczelina sprawi, że farsz wypłynie do zupy. Wrzucaj wontony do lekko gotującego się bulionu partiami i wyjmuj chwilę po wypłynięciu na wierzch – przegotowane zrobią się rozlazłe.
How to serve
Zupę podawaj w głębokich miskach, z posiekaną dymką i odrobiną oleju sezamowego na wierzchu. Dobrze smakuje z prostymi dodatkami: gotowanym bok choy, blanszowanym szpinakiem lub cienkim makaronem ryżowym dla większej sytości. To świetna propozycja na niedzielny obiad zamiast rosołu albo rozgrzewającą kolację po powrocie z zimowego spaceru.
Ingredients
- ready-made square wonton wrappers frozen, can be replaced with very thinly rolled dumpling dough - 30 piece
- ground pork preferably from pork shoulder - 250 g
- raw peeled shrimp can be omitted and replaced with more pork - 80 g
- cabbage finely chopped - 80 g
- onion - 3 piece
- fresh ginger - 10 g
- light soy sauce - 2 tablespoon
- oil can be omitted, but adds character - 1 teaspoon
- chicken or vegetable broth homemade or from a good-quality stock cube - 1.5 l
- salt to taste
- ground white pepper can be replaced with black pepper - 0.25 teaspoon
- egg for the filling - 1 piece
- potato or corn starch - 1 tablespoon
- water for the filling - 2 tablespoon
Preparation
- Finely chop the Chinese cabbage, sprinkle lightly with salt, set aside for 5 minutes, then squeeze it in your hands over the sink to remove excess water.
- If using shrimp, chop them very finely. Grate the ginger on a fine grater. Finely slice the spring onion, setting aside some of the green tops for sprinkling over the soup.
- Place the ground pork, shrimp, squeezed cabbage, ginger, most of the spring onion, egg, soy sauce, sesame oil, starch, water, a pinch of salt and white pepper in a bowl.
- Mix the filling with your hand or a spoon for 2–3 minutes, until it becomes sticky and uniform. If it seems too thin, add a little more starch.
- Prepare a small bowl of water for sealing the dumplings. Place a small teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.
- Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water using your finger. Fold the wrapper in half into a triangle or rectangle (depending on its shape), pressing the edges firmly so there are no gaps. You can leave them like this or join two corners together to form a small “hat”.
- Arrange the finished dumplings on a board lightly dusted with flour or starch so they don’t stick.
- Bring the broth to a boil in a pot. When it starts to simmer gently (it doesn’t need to be at a rolling boil), carefully add the dumplings in batches.
- Cook for 4–5 minutes from the moment they float to the surface. The dumplings should be soft and the meat inside fully set.
- Taste the broth and season with salt and, if needed, a little soy sauce. Ladle the soup with dumplings into bowls and sprinkle with the reserved green spring onion.
- tips": { "storage": "Do not leave the dumplings in hot broth for a long time, as the wrappers will become too soft. If you are making them ahead, cook the dumplings just before serving.", "serving": "Serve with a few drops of sesame oil on top and extra spring onion for freshness.", "variations": [ "Instead of pork, use ground turkey or chicken.", "You can add finely chopped carrot or shiitake mushrooms soaked in water to the filling.", "If you don’t have wonton wrappers, use very thinly rolled dumpling dough and cut it into squares." ] }, "leftovers": { "notes": "Store cooked dumplings and broth separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the broth until hot, then gently warm the dumplings in it just before serving so they don’t overcook." }, "tags": [ "soup", "wonton", "dumplings", "chicken-broth", "dinner" ], "whySpecial": "This wonton soup combines a light, aromatic broth with delicate, springy dumplings filled with juicy pork and shrimp. It’s comforting like classic chicken soup, but with a distinctly Asian character and a surprisingly light feel.", "authorTips": "Mix the filling until it becomes sticky – this ensures a bouncy, juicy texture inside the dumplings. Don’t overcrowd the pot when cooking; the dumplings need space to float freely and cook evenly. If you’re new to folding wontons, stick to simple triangle or rectangle shapes – they seal more easily.", "servingSuggestions": "Serve the soup very hot, with a few drops of sesame oil, extra spring onion and, if you like, a pinch of chili flakes. It pairs well with a simple cucumber salad or lightly stir-fried vegetables.", "personalNote": "I love making this soup on weekends when there’s time to fold dumplings together at the table – it turns cooking into a shared activity. The broth is light but satisfying, and the dumplings disappear from the bowls faster than I can cook the next batch.", "seoKeywords": [ "wonton soup", "chinese wonton soup", "wonton dumplings", "easy wonton soup", "pork and shrimp wontons", "asian soup recipe", "light dinner soup" ] } ] }```
Storage
Najlepiej przechowywać osobno ugotowane pierożki i bulion, wtedy nie rozmiękną. W lodówce do 2 dni. Pierożki można zamrozić surowe na desce, a potem przesypać do woreczka i gotować bez rozmrażania.
