It’s really damp in Boston right now. Most days during this time of the year I wake up with a headache that lingers throughout the day, and the only thing that helps to relieve the pressure and ache behind my eyes is hot tea and a bowl of soup. I always start with a good broth (like Imagine brand’s No-Chicken Broth) or a rich homemade stock, and add in one tablespoon each of toasted sesame oil and soy sauce for a simple but fragrant and flavorful soup.
This broth is perfect with wonton, which I pull from a big bag of previously assembled homemade wonton from the freezer, and drop into the soup and simmer until they bloom a bit and become soft and almost translucent.* I then toss a handful of kale, scallions or carrots towards the end, and drizzle with sriracha to create a pretty soup that cures, revives and comforts.
* the wonton pictured here have been simply dunked in hot broth for a few seconds, because I wanted them to retain their shape and be pretty for the photo—fully cooked wonton will look more like this.
Oyster Mushroom Wonton Soup with Wilted Kale
Cook
Total
Yield 1 serving
Ingredients
for the wontons
- 4 cups oyster mushroom caps, minced
- 1 TB Earth Balance
- 25-40 wonton wrappers
for the broth
- 2 cups homemade stock or Imagine brand No-Chicken broth
- 1 TB toasted sesame oil
- 1 TB soy sauce or tamari
to serve
- handful of chopped kale
- 1 scallion, chopped
- sriracha, to taste
Instructions
- First, cut away the tough stems from the oyster mushrooms, then mince the soft caps, then rinse and drain well under cold water.
- Reserve and freeze the inedible but flavorful stems for making stock later, if you wish.
- To make your wonton filling, melt the Earth Balance in a large, flat-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Throw in the minced oyster mushrooms and saute until almost all of the liquid has reduced from the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Then, assemble your wontons following these steps.
- Place the wontons onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat so they are not touching each other, and put into the freezer for at least a hour. Transfer to a container or Ziploc bag to store.
- When you are ready to make your soup, remove a few wontons from the freezer. (No need to defrost them.) Heat the broth in a small saucepan, then add in the sesame oil and soy sauce. Throw in the wontons and allow to heat through until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes, taking care to ensure they don’t stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Add in the kale and any other chopped vegetables as desired, and drizzle with sriracha. Serve immediately with hot tea.
Oh man, oyster mushroom wontons and kale. It's like music to my ears! It looks fantastic.
I made this yesterday on a particularly blustery Okinawan winter day. I was freezing and craving one of your new recipes in soup form–especially after the more heavy holiday feasts of Christmas (I made up for my Thanksgiving laziness;) I have never made a wonton soup before, and this did not disappoint. Very simple, aromatic, and flavorful. I actually had an ah-ha moment like so many others here on island. For a long time I purchased my tofu at the American grocery stores before experiencing the unparallelled quality and taste of locally made Okinawan tofu. Now, I know it is a staple I will greatly miss whenever we move back to the states. Likewise, I tend to purchase my wonton wraps from the American store. But yesterday I found some fresh ones at the local Japanese market, and oh' my goodness! A night and day difference! It was a completely different experience–again, not to be matched by American imitation. Delicious and satisfying as always! Thank you:)
So happy you enjoyed, Leila! The only other wonton wraps I've seen in the states in the grocery stores around here are Nasoya, which always contain egg, so I go into Chinatown to buy them fresh (not to mention way cheaper!), and it's always worth the trip—they just have flour and wheat gluten, but them are somehow so pillowy soft and perfect to work with.
I hope you had a nice Christmas and a happy new year … I can't believe it's almost 2014!!