A Winter Delight: Shrimp Pork Wonton (Pancit Molo) Hot Soup!
Kung Hei Fat Choi! The Year of the Water Dragon kicked in last Monday and we’re moving towards mid-winter. Although there has not been much snow, the temperatures have nevertheless hovered from 4 degrees to -4 degrees C (you need to convert that to Fahrenheit if you’re in the US) the past weeks. For our friends in the Philippines, this time of the year means bed weather, which usually means cool and dry. Cold weather, therefore, calls for warm soup! For this week’s blog, we feature a simple soup recipe that’s perfect for this kind of weather and for our Lunar New Year celebration.
Taking off from the pancit recipe shared by fellow dad and co-author, Robert, this pancit recipe has its roots in Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines and China. The soup is distinctly Filipino (or Ilonggo, to be more specific) but its use of wrapped noodles or wonton is obviously Chinese. The aroma of toasted garlic sprinkled over a steaming bowl of Pancit Molo is enough to soothe one’s tired nerves. It is so simple that my ten-year-old daughter was able to cook this with minimal help from my wife. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day, she would be writing her own blog on her own culinary adventures!
Ingredients:
1 pack of 380 gms. shrimp, pork and mushroom wonton
1 pc onion, peeled and chopped finely
1 tsp. fish sauce (patis) or salt to taste
½ tsp. ground black pepper
5-6 cloves of garlic, crushed, peeled and minced
1 spring onion or 1 leek, chopped
2 tbsp. oil
6-7 cups of chicken broth
1 pack of chicken breast
Directions:
1. Clean the chicken breast in cold water.
2. Using a cleaver, slit the chicken diagonally (about three slits) on the breast to ensure even cooking.
3. Place cold water on a pot enough and bring it to a rolling boil on medium high heat. Once the water boils, add the chicken, salt and pepper and cook for 30-45 minutes then reduce the heat to medium bringing the stock into a gentle simmer. Remove any impurities that float on the top of the stock.
4. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a chopping board.
5. Using a sharp knife, debone the chicken, cutting the meat into finer pieces. Once done, set this aside.
6. Wash the pot with water then preheat it for 5 minutes to medium heat. Add oil then sauté minced onions. Add ½ of the minced garlic then add the chopped chicken. Continue sautéing for 3 minutes or until the chicken is coated in garlic and onion and that it turns slightly brown.
7. With a little water, deglaze the pot (deglazing means to bring out the flavour and allows the brown bits to settle at the bottom of the pot). The slightly burnt chicken on the pot gives the soup a unique flavour.
8. Then add the chicken broth, salt (or patis) and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Add the wonton and cook this for about 3-5 minutes. The wonton would float once it’s cooked.
9. In a preheated pan, fry the rest of the minced garlic until golden brown. Set aside to be used for garnish.
10. Garnish with fried garlic and spring onions. If leeks are to be used, use about ½ cup chopped leaks before the wonton noodles are cooked. Serve immediately.
Dads Cook Good Food 