Recipe and photos by Kourtney Paranteau aka CuteMeatInc.
Literally half of the lessons I’ve learned in the kitchen are emotional ones. Right behind “everyone makes mistakes” and “this is supposed to be fun” is the aphorism I practice most often, “pick your battles.”
Even though I miss the frills and foresight of fancy restaurants, I’ve also made peace with the fact that no matter how many kitchen tools I purchase or how thoroughly I mise, some ingredients are not only easier but better when I don’t bite off more than I can chew and attempt to make them from scratch. So, when I’m already assembling homemade dumplings, the extra labor of hand-making noodles isn’t worth the bragging rights, and Umi Organic’s Ramen Noodles remain the best store-bought ramen noodle I’ve encountered. Here they cradle the dishes' hero, the crunchy pork wontons and, like the best supporting actresses, make the star shine brighter. (I’m looking at you Joan Cusack.)
This wonton soup rests handmade pork dumplings, bok choy, and bamboo shoots on a nest of Umi Organic Ramen Noodles, then floods the bowl with an aromatic ginger broth. As you prep your ingredients for dumplings, save the scraps and stalks from the leek, celery and ginger. You’ll need them to infuse your broth! This soup will sooth your lingering winter chills and surpass anyone’s cravings for chicken noodle soup.
Makes 4 servings
For the Wontons
1 leek stalk, thoroughly cleaned and roughly chopped; save green top
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped; save ends
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 thumb-sized knob of ginger, peeled and grated; save peels
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 pound ground pork
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 package square wonton wrappers (I’m loyal to Twin Marquis but there are so many great options at your local Asian grocery store)
For the Broth
Leftover scraps of celery, leek top, and ginger skins from making wonton filling
8 cups chicken broth
2 large shallots, smashed
1 lemon or lime, halved
Remaining Assembly
4 baby bok choy
1 package (12 ounces) Umi Organic Ramen Noodles
1 small can bamboo shoots
4 green onions, sliced
Plenty of your favorite chili oil
Directions:
In the base of a food processor, pulse the leek, celery and water chestnuts until they’re finely diced and the mixture appears completely blended but the three ingredients are still discernible from each other and resemble confetti. Transfer the mixture into a large bowl and, with your hands, blend with grated garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, ground pork, green onion, and black pepper until fully incorporated.
Toss your scraps of celery, leek tops, ginger skins into a large pot with chicken, a lemon or lime and shallots. Over high heat, bring your stock and aromatics to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for at least two hours and up to six. If the stock reduces by more than half, replenish with water bringing the liquid back up to 6 to 8 cups.
Returning to your dumpling project, make sure your hands are washed thoroughly and create a workspace for your dumpling filling. You want chopsticks, stack of wonton wrappers, a small bowl of room-temperature water and a clean kitchen towel all within reach. Working one at a time, form the “okay” sign with your non-dominant hand and place a wrapper over the hole your thumb and index finger form. Using your chopsticks (chopsticks will save you from having to wash and dry your hands constantly), place a dice-size portion of the pork mixture into the center of the wrapper. Wet your index finger and dampen a circle around the pork filling. Seal the dumpling by pressing the filling gently into the space between your index finger and thumb while also constricting your fingers together, squeezing the wrapper so the opposing interior walls of the wonton wrappers meet and pinch the dumpling shut. Repeat until wrappers and pork mixture run out. Your wontons should resemble a jellyfish when the dumpling is held with the meat filling on top or a high ponytail adorning a head when held in the reverse.
TIP: Freeze any extra wontons you have at the end on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can put them in a ziplock and whenever you want wonton soup, they’re ready for you! You can cook them from frozen.
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Salt. Boil bok choy for five minutes. Scoop out of water into a strainer and rinse under cold water. Set aside. Tease apart your Umi Organic Ramen Noodles. Add to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Strain and rinse under cold water to remove any excess starch.
With a slotted spoon, strain out any solids from your broth and bring to a low-boil. Gently place your dumplings, one by one, into the pot of broth and cover for three minutes or until all of your wontons have cooked and floated to the top to tell you so.
Plate in a large soup bowl, starting with your noodles—they’re the nest for the whole dish and provide structure for the other elements. Next, carefully set 4 to 5 dumplings to one side of the noodles, and a single bok choy on the other. Garnish with bamboo shoots and scallions before slowly pouring a cup of broth into one side of the bowl, being mindful not to drench your presentation. Continue with three remaining bowls. Serve with chili oil and hot tea.
Kourtney Paranteau (aka CuteMeat) was born and raised in Portland (okay, okay Beaverton), Oregon but spent a sunny stint in Los Angeles, where she ate her way through the San Gabriel Valley. Kourtney returned home to work in the food and beverage industry where she has met nearly all her friends and freelances as a recipe developer. Keanu Reeves' oeuvre plays in the background of every CuteMeat recipe for inspiration etc.
