Wonton Mian

Wonton noodle soup is the soul food of Guangzhou and Hong Kong, a dish consumed from breakfast to midnight at cramped noodle shops where mastery lies in three components: silky wontons with a crisp-textured prawn filling, springy alkaline egg noodles (lye water noodles), and an intensely flavoured broth built from dried shrimp roe and pork bones. The combination is one of the most refined bowls in the Chinese culinary canon.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Wontons (makes 24):

• 200 g (7 oz) raw prawns, peeled and roughly chopped
• 150 g (5 oz) pork mince
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce
• 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
• 1 tsp (2 g) white pepper
• 1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Shaoxing wine
• 24 square wonton wrappers

Broth:

• 1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock
• 300 g (10 oz) pork bones, blanched
• 2 tsp (6 g) dried shrimp roe (har zi) or 1 tbsp dried shrimp
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tsp (5 ml) fish sauce
• White pepper to taste

To Assemble:

• 400 g (14 oz) fresh thin egg noodles (or dried hong kong-style)
• Blanched choy sum or gai lan
• Sliced spring onions

Instructions

1. Mix prawn, pork mince, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, cornstarch, and Shaoxing wine. Stir vigorously in one direction 2 minutes until mixture becomes sticky and bouncy.
2. Place 1 tsp filling in the centre of each wonton wrapper. Fold into a triangle, then bring the two bottom corners together and seal, forming a nurse's cap shape.
3. Simmer broth: combine stock, blanched pork bones, and dried shrimp roe. Simmer 30 minutes. Season with soy sauce, fish sauce, and white pepper. Strain.
4. Cook wontons in boiling water 3–4 minutes until they float and filling is cooked through.
5. Cook noodles separately in boiling water 1–2 minutes until just al dente. Drain and divide into deep bowls.
6. Ladle hot broth over noodles. Add 5–6 wontons per bowl. Top with blanched greens and spring onions.

Cook's Notes: The prawn filling should have a snappy bite (爽口) — do not over-process. Using both whole prawns and pork mince is essential for authentic texture; prawn-only wontons are too soft.