Ingredients:

For the Wontons:

• 50 – 60 wonton wrappers
• 200 g (7 oz) lean ground chicken
• 200 g (7 oz) peeled prawns or shrimp, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger, finely grated
• 2 shallots or green onions, finely chopped (about 5 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar 
• 1/2 tsp extra sugar or honey (to balance the acidity of rice vinegar)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

For the Broth :

• 3 cups (750 ml) chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1.5 cm (⅓ inch) piece of ginger, sliced (optional, but recommended)
• 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp extra sugar or honey (to balance the acidity of rice vinegar)
• ¼ – ½ tsp sesame oil

For Serving:

• Finely chopped shallots/scallions
• Quartered bok choy or Chinese broccoli (optional)
• 40 – 50 g (1.5 – 1.75 oz) dried egg noodles per person (optional)

Instructions:

1. Make the Wonton Filling:

• In a bowl, combine ground chicken, chopped prawns, grated ginger, chopped shallots, soy sauce, rice vinegar, extra sugar or honey,, salt, and sesame oil.
• Mash the mixture with a potato masher until fairly smooth, keeping some small chunks of prawn. The filling should be somewhat textured, not a paste.

2. Wrap the Wontons:

• Place wonton wrappers on a clean work surface. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling onto the center of each wrapper.
• Brush two edges of the wrapper with water, fold to seal, and press out air. To form a traditional shape, bring the corners together and seal by pressing them.
• Arrange wrapped wontons in a container with a lid to prevent them from drying out.

3. Cook the Wontons:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the wontons and cook for 4 minutes or until they float.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the wontons and place them in serving bowls. Ladle the broth over them.

4. Prepare the Broth:

• In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, smashed garlic, sliced ginger (optional), soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, extra sugar or honey, and sesame oil.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to infuse. Remove the garlic and ginger before serving.

5. Serve the Soup:

• If using vegetables, blanch them in the soup broth and place them in serving bowls.
• Prepare noodles according to package instructions (if using). Add noodles to the bowls along with the cooked wontons.
• Pour the hot broth over the wontons and noodles, then garnish with chopped scallions.

Recipe Notes:

1. Wonton Wrappers: You can find wonton wrappers in most supermarkets, usually near fresh noodles. One packet contains around 40 wrappers. Use 2 packets for this recipe.
2. Soy Sauce: If you don’t have light soy sauce, you can substitute it with all-purpose soy sauce.
3. Sesame Oil: Use toasted sesame oil (brown color) for the best flavor. It might seem like a lot, but it makes the soup delicious!
4. Chicken Broth: If possible, use Asian chicken broth for a cleaner flavor. It’s available in some specialty stores and is typically a deeper yellow in color.
5. Garlic: Smash the garlic cloves to release their flavor, but leave them mostly intact so you can easily remove them from the broth before serving.
6. Noodles: You can use any dried or fresh egg noodles, such as the ones available at Woolworths.
7. Freezing: To freeze the wontons, place uncooked wontons in an airtight container and freeze. Cook from frozen by boiling for 6-8 minutes.
8. Cooking the Wontons in Broth: If you’re short on time, you can cook the wontons directly in the broth, but be aware it will absorb some of the broth, so add ½ cup of water to make up for it.