Name: Wonton Soup
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.4 l chicken stock (preferably Asian-seasoned, unsalted or low-salt); 1 spring onion (in 5 cm pieces); 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 0.25 tsp white pepper, ground; salt (taste first, stocks are often already salty); 2 carrots (in fine strips); 225 g prawns, peeled and deveined (finely chopped); 225 g minced pork; 2 spring onions (in thin rings, set some aside for garnish); 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 2 tsp soy sauce; 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp sake; 0.5 tsp sugar; 1 tbsp potato starch or cornflour; 0.25 tsp white pepper, ground; 45 wonton wrappers (about 1 packet, thaw frozen ones well); water (for brushing the edges); fresh coriander (roughly chopped, to serve); chilli sauce (on the side, to taste)

Preparation

Bring the stock to the boil with the spring onion pieces in a large pot, then reduce the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Season with pepper and salt (taste first), take off the heat, cover and keep warm.
Chop the prawns small, then keep chopping to a coarse paste. Mix with the minced pork, spring onion rings, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sake, sugar, starch and pepper in a bowl to an even mixture.
Put about 1 teaspoon of filling in the centre of a wrapper, moisten the edges with a wet finger, fold into a rectangle, press out the air and press the edges together. Moisten the two lower corners and press them over each other. Cover the finished wontons on a tray lined with baking paper so they do not dry out; less filling makes folding easier.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the wontons in batches without overcrowding the pot, stirring so they do not stick. When they float and the dough is translucent, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, about 5 minutes in total (8 minutes from frozen).
Bring the carrot strips to the boil in the broth until just cooked. Divide the drained wontons among bowls, pour the hot broth over and sprinkle with spring onions, coriander and a little white pepper. Serve with chilli sauce.

Drink with it

Pale lager · excellent match
Helles lager or Pilsner, well chilled
Carbonation and light bitterness cut through the fat of the filling without drowning the delicate broth.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?
White wine · excellent match
Dry Riesling Kabinett or Grüner Veltliner
Fresh acidity and a slim body do not overpower the clear broth, and citrus and pepper notes pick up the ginger and white pepper.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Junmai sake · good match
Junmai sake, gently warmed
The rice note and umami of the Junmai echo the prawn and pork flavours, and the warmth suits the hot broth.
Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo: What do these mean for sake?
Vodka · good match
Vodka, ice cold, neat in small sips
As with pelmeni in broth: neutral and cold, the sip washes away the fat of the filling without masking the broth.
What Is Vodka? Raw Materials, Flavor, and Cocktails

Why it pairs well

Vodka is the outsider: it follows the pelmeni idea - dumplings, hot broth, cold clear spirit.

Preparation

Bring the stock to the boil with the spring onion pieces in a large pot, then reduce the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Season with pepper and salt (taste first), take off the heat, cover and keep warm.
Chop the prawns small, then keep chopping to a coarse paste. Mix with the minced pork, spring onion rings, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sake, sugar, starch and pepper in a bowl to an even mixture.
Put about 1 teaspoon of filling in the centre of a wrapper, moisten the edges with a wet finger, fold into a rectangle, press out the air and press the edges together. Moisten the two lower corners and press them over each other. Cover the finished wontons on a tray lined with baking paper so they do not dry out; less filling makes folding easier.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the wontons in batches without overcrowding the pot, stirring so they do not stick. When they float and the dough is translucent, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, about 5 minutes in total (8 minutes from frozen).
Bring the carrot strips to the boil in the broth until just cooked. Divide the drained wontons among bowls, pour the hot broth over and sprinkle with spring onions, coriander and a little white pepper. Serve with chilli sauce.

Drink with it

Pale lager · excellent match
Helles lager or Pilsner, well chilled
Carbonation and light bitterness cut through the fat of the filling without drowning the delicate broth.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?
White wine · excellent match
Dry Riesling Kabinett or Grüner Veltliner
Fresh acidity and a slim body do not overpower the clear broth, and citrus and pepper notes pick up the ginger and white pepper.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Junmai sake · good match
Junmai sake, gently warmed
The rice note and umami of the Junmai echo the prawn and pork flavours, and the warmth suits the hot broth.
Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo: What do these mean for sake?
Vodka · good match
Vodka, ice cold, neat in small sips
As with pelmeni in broth: neutral and cold, the sip washes away the fat of the filling without masking the broth.
What Is Vodka? Raw Materials, Flavor, and Cocktails

Why it pairs well

Vodka is the outsider: it follows the pelmeni idea - dumplings, hot broth, cold clear spirit.

Wonton Soup

Preparation

Drink with it

Helles lager or Pilsner, well chilled

Dry Riesling Kabinett or Grüner Veltliner

Junmai sake, gently warmed

Vodka, ice cold, neat in small sips

This pairs well too.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hot and Sour Soup (Peking-Style)

Krautkrapfen (sauerkraut pasta rolls)

Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce (Saté)

Wonton Soup

Preparation

Drink with it

Helles lager or Pilsner, well chilled

Dry Riesling Kabinett or Grüner Veltliner

Junmai sake, gently warmed

Vodka, ice cold, neat in small sips

This pairs well too.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hot and Sour Soup (Peking-Style)

Krautkrapfen (sauerkraut pasta rolls)

Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce (Saté)