One of the simple soups that I’ve come to love when traveling in Asia is wonton soup. It is a simple, clear broth soup with delicate flavors and savory goodness that makes for a great appetizer or even a light meal (until you eat three bowls of it, that is. I dare you to stop at one). The other things that is great about this soup is that (like the Korean Jjigae that I posted recently) this soup is so simple and quick to make!

Now, let me say a few words about the broth. It can be a little deceptive in it’s simplicity. With only 3 ingredients, my first inclination was that I needed to add more to it; don’t be fooled. It ends up being the best part! It’s all about the umami (I’ve spoken about umami before here). MSG is a great source of umami and this soup is loaded with natural sources of it. When most people hear MSG, they think of the powder used in many Asian restaurants. A small part of the population is allergic to it (the artificial kind) and have symptoms ranging from headaches to nausea. The sad thing is that powdered MSG is not necessary if you are cooking correctly. For example, real chicken broth is a great source of MSG since it is found in bone marrow and is slowly extracted during the stock making process. Fish sauce is another great source of natural MSG. In this recipe, we mix the two together and POW, you have a rich umami overload! Since the wontons cook in the broth, they impart light notes of the savory goodness inside into the broth, leaving the broth both rich and flavorful, yet light and refreshing.

To make the broth for this soup, I took the carcass from a chicken that I had recently smoked. I picked the carcass clean then placed what was left, along with the giblets that came with the bird, added cold water in a large stock pot, and kept it at a low simmer for 12 hours. In the end, I was left with a condensed rich stock that tasted a bit smoky and that was seasoned from the rub I had used, but was still fairly light. I strained it and stored it in the fridge for a few days. Since I had simmered it for so long, it was really concentrated. I ended up adding water to it to thin it back to a normal broth (which is a great way to store it).

To add to the ease of this recipe, the wontons can be made fresh or frozen for up to 3 months.

Wonton Soup

1 lb – Fresh ground pork

8 oz – Shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped

2 cups – Shitake mushrooms, medium diced

1 Tbsp. – Ginger, freshly minced

1 Tbsp. – Garlic, freshly minced

1 Tbsp. – Sesame oil

2 Tbsp. – Rice wine vinegar

3 – Green onions, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. – White pepper

2 1/2 tsp. – Salt

1 package – extra thin wonton wrappers

2 quarts – Chicken broth

1/8 cup – Tiparos Fish SauceFish sauce

chives, salt, and white pepper

Prepare the wonton filling by adding the pork, shrimp, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, vinegar, green onions, white pepper, and salt in large bowl. Mix well. I use my hands to ensure that the meat is well mixed with the rest of the ingredients while not becoming over mixed.

Prepare a small bowl of water and a baking sheet. Take a wonton wrapper and gently wet the edges by dipping your finger in the bowl of water and rubbing the edges. Place 1-2 tsps. of filling in the center of the wrapper. Bring opposite corners together and pinch tightly, ensuring to seal the entire edge. Do the same on the other edges as pictured below.

Lay the completed wonton on the baking sheet. Repeat until you have used up the filling making sure that the wontons do not touch on the baking sheet. This recipe will make many more wontons than you will need for the amount of broth so you can freeze the rest for 3-6 hours (or overnight) then place them in a tight plastic bag for up to 3 months.

Prepare the broth by adding it to a large stock pot or soup pot. Add the fish sauce and bring to a low simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once you are satisfied with the saltiness of the broth, add as many wontons as will fit (about 1/3-1/2 of the batch). Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, which takes about 5 minutes. Serve topped with minced chive. 

Lately I’ve been cutting carbs (unless you are counting the blueberry donuts) and looking for simple low carb, low glycemic meals that I can quickly make and still enjoy. This classic Korean stew/soup has become one of my go-to recipes. It literally takes 15 minutes or less to make (once you have some of the base in the fridge), making it a tasty, healthy, SPICY meal that is satisfying, filling, and easy to make. Jjigae is becoming more and more popular among Americans. I love to go to a little Korean restaurant near my work and order a bowl on a cold winter day. It always comes in a stone or ceramic bowl and arrives at the table literally at a rolling boil. The mixture of spice and heat warms me down to the core.

Jjigae is a simple soup that can be made with many different ingredients.  You can put kimchee, mushrooms, whole baby shrimp, clams, mussels, and all sorts of seafood and veggies. I’ve had it with zucchini and other squashes. The version that I have here is very simple, using ingredients that I always have on hand. Make it how you like it.

You need to start by making the soup base. It can be made in large quantities and stored in the fridge for several months. Just place a couple of tablespoons into the soup (according to your pain tolerance) and you are set.

Yangnyum (Jjigae soup base)

2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. – Korean red chili powder/flakes (고추가루 gochugaru)

1 Tbsp. – Soy sauce

1 Tbsp. – Garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. – Sugar

1 tsp. – Oyster sauce

1/4 tsp. – Kosher salt

1 Tbsp. – Mirin

2 Tbsp. – Light oil

Black pepper

 

Add all of the ingredients into a small bowl except for the oil. Please do not substitute the chili powder with standard chili powder, it is not the same. I bought a massive bag of the stuff at a local Korean supermarket. It is the same ingredient used to make Kimchee (recipe coming soon) and has a distinct flavor profile. I’ve included a link to where you can buy it on Amazon if you can’t find it locally. Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat then add the oil. Add the mixture of spices and stir continually for about 5 minutes. Let cool and store in the fridge in an air tight container for up to several weeks.

Mushroom Shrimp Jjigae (Single serving size)

1/2 container – Silken Tofu, cubed into roughly 1 inch cubes

2-5 Tbsp. – Yangnyum (see recipe above)

1 tsp. – Fish sauce

3/4 cup – water

1/3 cup – Oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup – Shrimp, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 – egg

1/4 cup – Scallions (green onions), finely chopped

 

Add tofu, yangnyum, fish sauce, and water to small pot (preferably a stone or ceramic bowl).

Cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to mix the ingredients.

Once the soup has come to a hard boil, add the shrimp and mushrooms, stir quickly then drop the whole egg into the center. Remove from heat and recover. Let sit for 3-5 minutes as the shrimp and egg cook.

Top with scallion and add more fish sauce to taste (the fish sauce will act as salt here). Enjoy…and caution, I end up burning my taste buds almost every time I make this because I get impatient and start eating before the soup has cooled (it just smells too good!).