For decades, three generations of my family has gotten Chinese takeout from a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in downtown San Mateo, California. It's held such a fond place in our hearts that I even once named a dog after it - Wing Fat. To be truthful, it's not that their food is that outstanding; it's typical Chinese-American cuisine. But it's the life events that Wing Fat's meals have gotten our family through - funerals, Christenings, illnesses big and small. One dish that's always included in an order is their Wor Wonton Soup. For those of you wonton lovers, listen closely, as this soup is like wonton soup on steroids. In Chinese, “wor” means “everything” and this wonton soup recipe definitely has it all! Vegetables (we like to use baby bok choy), mushrooms, water chestnuts, chicken, barbecue pork, shrimp, noodles, and homemade pork wontons, of course. This soup is a meal in itself. It's comforting, filling, and satisfies every nook and cranny of your palate. Toss in your favorite vegetable (broccoli, sliced cabbage, kale), use leftover chicken or pork, your favorite Asian noodle. Whatever you add, make sure it's loaded up with everything (wor) that makes you feel good!
Wor Wonton Soup with Chinese Barbecue Pork, Shrimp and Chicken
Servings 4
For the wontons:
1 package wonton wrappers (you can also use egg roll wrappers if you prefer larger wontons)
1 1⁄2 lbs ground pork
1 teaspoon rice wine
1 teaspoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons flat-leaf Italian parsley, minced
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced at an angle
1 glove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
For the soup:
7 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1⁄2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts
1 small package snow peas
6 small bok choy, cut in half lengthways
1 package fresh ramen noodles (or 4 small packages dried ramen noodles)
1 chicken breast, cooked and cut into thin strips
12 medium cooked shrimp, tails on
1/2 pound Chinese barbecue pork, sliced (look for this at Asian markets or ask your local grocer)
Sliced green onions and fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish
Optional if you like spice: hot peppers, thinly sliced, for garnish
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the ground pork and sauté until lightly browned, breaking up larger pieces as it cooks.
Add rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, parsley, green onion, garlic and ginger, and stir to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and pepper then add the beaten egg. Remove from heat, mix thoroughly and allow to cool slightly.
Pour a small amount of water into a small bowl to use for sealing the wontons.
Place about a tablespoon of the filling into the center of each wrapper. Rotate the wrapper so that a corner is pointing at you like a diamond. Fold the bottom point up to the top point to make a triangle. Press firmly on all edges to seal. Set wonton on a lightly oiled sheet pan (to prevent wontons from sticking) and repeat with remaining filling.
Pour the chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil into a large pot and bring to a gentle boil.
Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts, snow peas, and boo chop. Carefully add the wontons one by one and cook until they float; about 2 minutes. While the wontons are cooking, heat water in a separate pot and cook ramen noodles until done, about 2 minutes. Drain, then divide among four soup bowls.
Ladle soup into the bowls, dividing up the wontons and vegetables.
Top with strips of chicken, shrimp and barbecue pork and garnish with fresh sliced green onions and flat leaf parsley.
Image Sources:
