Tom Yum Wonton Soup (Print Version)

Spicy, tangy broth with delicate pork wontons, fresh herbs, and aromatic Thai flavors in under an hour.

# What You Need:

→ Wontons

01 - 7 oz ground pork or chicken
02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tsp sesame oil
04 - 1 tsp grated ginger
05 - 1 garlic clove, minced
06 - 1 spring onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 tsp white pepper
08 - 20 wonton wrappers

→ Tom Yum Broth

09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
10 - 3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
11 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
12 - 4 slices galangal or ginger
13 - 2 red chilies, sliced
14 - 7 oz mushrooms, sliced (shiitake or button)
15 - 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
16 - 3 tbsp fish sauce
17 - 2 tbsp lime juice, plus more to taste
18 - 1 tsp sugar
19 - 3.5 oz baby bok choy or spinach
20 - 3.5 oz peeled shrimp, optional

→ Garnishes

21 - Fresh coriander leaves
22 - Sliced spring onions
23 - Lime wedges
24 - Chili oil, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a bowl, combine ground pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, spring onion, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
02 - Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges with water, fold, and seal into triangles or envelopes. Set aside under a damp cloth to prevent drying.
03 - In a large pot, bring chicken stock to a gentle simmer. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and chilies. Simmer for 10 minutes to extract and develop aromatic flavors.
04 - Add mushrooms and tomatoes to the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves using a slotted spoon.
05 - Add fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar to the broth. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lime juice or fish sauce to achieve desired balance of spice and tang.
06 - Gently add prepared wontons and shrimp (if using) to the simmering broth. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until wontons float to the surface and shrimp turn pink.
07 - Add bok choy or spinach and simmer for 1 minute until wilted. Ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh coriander, spring onions, lime wedges, and chili oil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth hits all five taste sensations at once - sour, spicy, savory, slightly sweet, and even a touch of bitterness from the lime leaves.
  • Those tender homemade wontons soak up just enough broth to burst with flavor while maintaining their delicate texture.
02 -
  • Never boil the broth vigorously after adding the lime juice or it will turn bitter, something I learned after ruining an entire pot during a dinner party.
  • Making extra wontons and freezing them uncooked on a baking sheet before transferring to a ziplock bag means youre always 15 minutes away from this soup on busy weeknights.
03 -
  • For an even clearer broth, blanch the ground meat mixture briefly in boiling water before draining and using it as wonton filling, which removes impurities that can cloud the soup.
  • When working with lemongrass, remove the tough outer layers and use only the pale lower portion about 4-5 inches from the root end, where all the fragrant oils concentrate.
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