Wantons, wantons and more wantons!

Twas a cold and wintery day in London. My flatmates and I were in the mood for something warm and having heaps of it. So out came the wanton skins, meat and several other ingredients and tada!!!! Wanton soup :)

Ingredients:

1 packet of wanton skins

500 grams of pork / beef / chicken / lamb / turkey mince

1 large yellow onion - diced

1 egg

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp corn flour

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

soup stock ingredients:

1 large stalk of leek

1 large carrot

1 large yellow onion

whole white peppers

A handful of goji berries (kei chi)

1 tbsp of dried prawns

1 packet of dried anchovies (ikan billis)

oil

2 litres water

Condiment:

Chinese vegetables of your choice or spinach leaves.

Method:

• First prepare your stock. Prepare your vegetables by slicing them in large cubes. Soak the dried prawns in some hot water and drain after 5 minutes. Prepare a large enough pot with some vegetable oil and lightly fry the yellow onion that has been skinned and cubed. Add in the pre-soaked prawns and continue stir frying. Then add in dried anchovies and fry til fragrant. Then add in the vegetables and pour in the water. Then add in the goji berries last before bringing up to boil. Once water is boiling, bring down to a simmer. Lastly add some salt and pepper to taste.
• Then in a food processor, place all ingredients and blend til all of it is mixed through and finely combined. Prepare a bowl with some water and an empty plate to place the wrapped wantons in. 
• Take one wanton skin and place on the palm of your hand. Place a teaspoon full of filling into the middle. Using a finger, dip into the water and rub around the edge of the skin before folding and gathering it into a parcel. (The hawkers back home basically press the skin together with their palm and fingers), Place completed parcel onto the plate.
• Once the filling is finished, the soup stock should be ready. Sift the stock and the soup that remains is brought to boil once more. When water is nearly coming to a boil, add in some wantons and cook them. You'll know they're cooked when you see them bopping up the surface of the soup. Spoon them out with some soup and some vegetables and serve.

The whole process is not tedious but time consuming. If you're not up to making small batches then make bigger batches and freeze them. If you want variety, add in some egg noodles and you have wanton noodles right in your kitchen! 

Asian Ravioli perhaps the next time round!

The Innnovative Baker