Chicken and Shitake Wonton Noodle Soup

Serves 4

The wontons are the star in this filling meal. The broth and noodles have delicate flavours; but the dumplings pack a punch. The secret ingredient is shitake mushrooms which have a robust earthy flavour. 

Even our kids got stuck into this. In fact, they loved it, even our 5 year old. And that is saying a lot given how much we have struggled with his fussiness. It wasn't that long ago that he refused to eat anything other than weetbix, bananas, yoghurt and crackers for more than 3 months. As I watched him slurping noodles and even shoveling in some bok choy, I smiled.

What's in it?

200g dried thin egg noodles
1 clove garlic, peeled
2cm piece ginger, peeled
3 sprigs coriander, leaves only
1tsp sesame oil
1L preservative free liquid chicken stock
20g soy sauce
freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste
1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
1 bunch bok choy, leaves separated

Wontons
250g chicken or pork mince
270g pack of wonton wrappers
50g dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated according to packet directions
2 spring onions, roughly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled
40g soy sauce
2tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp caster sugar
2tsp cornflour
1tsp sesame oil

Garlic chilli sauce, to serve (optional)

How do I make it?

1. Prepare the wontons. Place garlic, spring onions, coriander and rehydrated mushrooms in mixing bowl and chop for 3sec / speed 7. Add mince, soy, vinegar, cornflour, sugar and sesame oil and mix for 5sec / reverse / speed 4.

2. Wet and scrunch 2 pieces of baking paper. Lay one on base of varoma dish and one on the varoma tray. Using wet fingers, place about 2tsp of mince mixture on each wonton wrapper and fold wontons until all the wonton pastry is used. Place prepared wontons in varoma dish and on varoma tray and set aside. Make sure the wontons are not touching or they will stick together.

3. Wash and dry bowl. Place garlic and ginger in mixing bowl and chop for 3sec / speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl, add sesame oil and saute for 1min / 120°C (TM5) or varoma (TM31) / speed 1.

4. Meanwhile, place prepared carrots and bok choy in steamer basket and set aside.

5. Add stock, soy sauce and salt and pepper to mixing bowl, place varoma on top and cook for 15min / varoma / speed 3. Add steamer basket to mixing bowl and cook for a further 7min / varoma / speed 3.

6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook noodles according to packet directions.

7. When everything is cooked, place 1/4 of each of the vegetables, noodles and wontons in large bowls and pour over hot broth. For a bit of extra zing, drizzle with some garlic chilli sauce.

13 ProPoints per serve.

Notes:

If you need a quick instruction on how to fold a wonton, I recommend you view https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTxbKTZgHBQ

This is not really a meal of which you can save leftovers and reheat the next day, but you can easily convert the recipe to feed 2 or even just one person. If cooking for less than 4, make the whole batch of wontons but freeze some for later. To do this, lay them separately on a sheet of baking paper in the freezer and then throw them into a snap lock bag when they are frozen.