“Won ton soup is a kind of comfort soup for me. I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite Chinese cookbooks. The won tons are absolutely wonderful, and after almost 20 years of not getting the broth quite right I finally realized what was missing … it was the mirin!” – April Ferre
Won Ton Soup
Ingredients
Won Tons
- 1/4 Pound Fresh Shrimp
- 1/4 Pound Finely Ground Pork
- 1/2 Teaspoon Minced Fresh Ginger
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Rice Wine or Dry Sherry
- 2 Tablespoons Minced Green Onion
- 30 Wonton Skins
- 1 Egg Yolk Beaten
Soup
- 8 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dry Sherry
- 1 Tablespoon plus 1 Teaspoon Mirin
- Pepper To Taste, Optional
- 3 Bunches Baby Bok Choy Sliced
- 3 Green Onions Chopped
Instructions
- Shell and devein shrimp. Grind shrimp and pork in food processor until well-blended. Remove to bowl and add ginger, soy sauce, egg, sesame oil, sugar, sherry and minced green onion. Mix well.
- Place about a teaspoon filling in the lower corner of won ton skin. Fold corner over and press edges to seal. Use egg yolk to bring side corners together to seal.
- In Dutch oven, bring water to boil. With a slotted spoon, place won tons in water. Stir gently so that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Bring again to boil and add cold water. Let return to boiling again. Won tons are done when they float on the water. Remove to plate and discard water.
- In pot, combine chicken broth, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, dry sherry, mirin and pepper. Bring to boil and add won tons. Add bok choy and green onion and cook until bok choy is parboiled. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
- Add other vegetables as desired: Napa Cabbage, Snow Peas, Broccoli, Carrots, Bean Sprouts and Shitake Mushrooms, for example.
2002 Adapted Recipe – April Ferre – From Chinese Cookery by Rose Cheng and Michele Morris, 1981
