Wonton Noodle Soup with Pork, Shrimp and Bok Choy

Name: Wonton Noodle Soup with Pork, Shrimp and Bok Choy
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) ground pork, cold, preferably not lean (about 20% fat); 4 oz (115 g) raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry, finely chopped into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, white and green parts finely chopped; 2 tsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing rice wine; 1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch; ½ tsp (2 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 24 wrappers (225 g) square wonton wrappers (about 3½ inches / 9 cm), thawed if frozen, kept covered with a damp towel; 5 tbsp (75 ml) cold water, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) for the filling, the rest in a small bowl for sealing; 8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 4 slices (20 g) fresh ginger, cut ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, lightly smashed; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths, lightly smashed; 2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon in the filling, 1 tablespoon in the broth; 1 tsp (2 g) ground white pepper, ½ teaspoon in the filling, ½ teaspoon in the broth; 8 oz (225 g) fresh thin Chinese egg noodles, loosened by hand; 8 large (150 g) raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed; 8 oz (225 g) baby bok choy, about 4 small heads, halved lengthwise (quartered if large), rinsed well; 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons in the filling, 1 teaspoon to finish; 1 whole (15 g) scallion greens, thinly sliced

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Silky pork-and-shrimp wontons and springy egg noodles in a clear, gingery chicken broth finished with white pepper and toasted sesame oil. Noodles and wontons cook in a separate pot so the broth stays clean and bright.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 30 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 45 min
Makes: 4 large bowls (6 wontons each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the wontons
8 oz (225 g) ground pork, cold, preferably not lean (about 20% fat)
4 oz (115 g) raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry, finely chopped into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces
2 whole (30 g) scallions, white and green parts finely chopped
2 tsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing rice wine
1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch
½ tsp (2 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
24 wrappers (225 g) square wonton wrappers (about 3½ inches / 9 cm), thawed if frozen, kept covered with a damp towel
5 tbsp (75 ml) cold water, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) for the filling, the rest in a small bowl for sealing
For the broth
8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
4 slices (20 g) fresh ginger, cut ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, lightly smashed
2 whole (30 g) scallions, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths, lightly smashed
2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon in the filling, 1 tablespoon in the broth
1 tsp (2 g) ground white pepper, ½ teaspoon in the filling, ½ teaspoon in the broth
For the bowls
8 oz (225 g) fresh thin Chinese egg noodles, loosened by hand
8 large (150 g) raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
8 oz (225 g) baby bok choy, about 4 small heads, halved lengthwise (quartered if large), rinsed well
1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons in the filling, 1 teaspoon to finish
1 whole (15 g) scallion greens, thinly sliced

Equipment (10)

Large mixing bowl
Cutting board and sharp knife
Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper (for the wontons)
Small bowl for water (for sealing wontons)
3-quart (3 L) saucepan or pot for broth
Large 5-quart (5 L) pot for boiling water
Fine-mesh strainer
Slotted spoon or spider
Instant-read thermometer
4 large soup bowls

Steps

Before you start

Thaw frozen shrimp and wonton wrappers in the refrigerator overnight if needed; keep the wrappers covered so they don't dry out.
Use low-sodium chicken broth so you control the salt. Taste before seasoning.
Buy fresh thin egg noodles (Hong Kong style) if possible. If you only find dried, cook according to the package, usually 3 to 4 minutes.
Total time includes a 30-minute filling chill. The broth simmers while you fold the wontons.
Ground pork must reach 160°F (71°C) in the center, so keep an instant-read thermometer handy to check a wonton.

1
Mix the filling
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped shrimp (shrimp_filling), chopped filling scallions, grated ginger, Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, ½ teaspoon of the white pepper, sugar, salt and cornstarch.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cold water.
- Using a spatula or your hand, stir in one direction for about 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The mixture looks sticky and paste-like, and clings to the bowl in one cohesive mass.
Tip: Stirring in one direction and adding the water makes the filling bouncy and juicy instead of crumbly.
2
Chill the filling
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Chilling firms the filling so it is easy to scoop and fold.
- Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients: smash the broth ginger and scallions, halve the bok choy, slice the garnish scallion and devein the large shrimp.
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Ready when: Filling is cold and holds its shape when scooped.
3
Fold the wontons
- Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Place a wrapper on your palm in a diamond shape.
- Put 1 level tablespoon (about 15 g) of filling in the center.
- Dab water from the small bowl along two adjoining edges, fold the wrapper in half diagonally into a triangle and press out the air as you seal.
- Dab a little water on one bottom corner, bring the two bottom corners together and press to join.
- Set on the baking sheet and cover with a damp towel.
- Repeat to make 24 wontons.
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Ready when: Each wonton is sealed with no air pockets and no filling on the edges.
Tip: Don't overfill. More than 1 tablespoon makes seals burst in the water.
4
Simmer the broth
- Combine the chicken broth, ginger slices and smashed scallion pieces in a 3-quart (3 L) pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, partly covered, for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts (4 L) of water to a rolling boil in the large pot over high heat.
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Ready when: Broth smells distinctly of ginger and tastes lightly aromatic, with gentle bubbles at the edge only.
Tip: Keep the broth at a bare simmer. A hard boil makes it cloudy.
5
Season the broth
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot, discarding the ginger and scallions.
- Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the remaining ½ teaspoon white pepper.
- Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt if needed.
- Cover and keep over low heat.
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Ready when: Broth is clear, hot (steaming) and well seasoned without tasting salty.
6
Blanch bok choy and shrimp
- Working in the large pot of boiling water, drop in the bok choy and cook for 1 minute, until bright green and crisp-tender.
- Lift out with a slotted spoon and divide among 4 bowls.
- Add the 8 large shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove and add 2 shrimp to each bowl.
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Ready when: Shrimp are pink and curled into a loose C with opaque flesh (145°F / 63°C).
Tip: Cook the shrimp for the full 2 minutes but no longer. They turn rubbery if overcooked.
7
Cook the noodles
- Return the pot to a rolling boil.
- Add the noodles and cook for 1 minute, stirring gently to separate.
- Drain in a strainer and shake well.
- Rinse briefly under hot tap water to remove surface starch, then drain again and divide among the bowls.
- Keep the water at a boil.
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Ready when: Noodles are springy with a slight bite and no raw flour in the center.
Tip: If using dried noodles, cook per the package timing and taste a strand to check.
8
Poach the wontons
- Reduce the water to a steady gentle boil.
- Slide in the wontons in two batches of 12, stirring once gently to keep them from sticking.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- The ground pork filling must reach 160°F (71°C): cut one wonton open and check the center with an instant-read thermometer.
- Lift out with a slotted spoon, letting water drain, and place 6 wontons in each bowl.
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Ready when: Wontons float, wrappers look translucent and the ground pork filling reads 160°F (71°C) in the center with no pink pork.
Tip: Cut one open to test the first time. Add 30 seconds if the pork is still pink or below 160°F (71°C).
9
Assemble and serve
- Ladle about 1½ cups (350 ml) of the steaming broth into each bowl.
- Drizzle each with ¼ teaspoon of the toasted sesame oil, scatter with sliced scallion greens and serve right away with extra white pepper at the table.
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Ready when: Broth is piping hot and noodles and wontons are submerged.
Tip: Serve immediately. The noodles keep absorbing broth and turn soft if left standing.

Good to know

Tips

Cook the noodles and wontons in a separate pot of water so the broth stays clear and the noodles don't turn gummy.
Use fatty ground pork (about 20% fat). Lean pork makes dry, tough wontons.
Keep unused wrappers under a damp towel. Dried wrappers crack and won't seal.
Make a test wonton first: poach one, cut it open, check it reads 160°F (71°C) and adjust the filling seasoning before folding the rest.

Make ahead

Fold the wontons up to 1 day ahead: arrange on a parchment-lined tray, cover and refrigerate. Or freeze on the tray until solid (about 2 hours), then bag them. Cook frozen wontons directly from the freezer, adding 1 to 2 minutes, and confirm the ground pork center reaches 160°F (71°C). The broth can be made up to 3 days ahead.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten fresh. Store broth separately from the noodles and wontons. Refrigerate broth up to 3 days and cooked wontons up to 1 day in an airtight container. Reheat broth to a simmer and warm the wontons in it for 2 minutes. Uncooked wontons freeze for up to 2 months. Cooked noodles do not store well.

Substitutions

baby bok choy → choy sum or baby spinach. Choy sum takes about 1 to 2 minutes; spinach needs only 15 seconds.
Shaoxing rice wine → dry sherry. Use the same amount. Or substitute chicken broth for an alcohol-free version.
ground pork → ground chicken thigh. Slightly milder. Cook the filling to 165°F (74°C) instead of 160°F.
fresh thin Chinese egg noodles → dried thin wonton or egg noodles. Cook per the package directions, usually 3 to 4 minutes.