How to make Kaew Nam (Wonton Soup) at home
Kaew Nam, also known as Wonton Soup, is a delicious and comforting Thai soup made with wontons (dumplings) and a flavorful broth. This recipe will serve 4 people. You can adjust the quantities accordingly if you need more or fewer servings.
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl For mixing the wonton filling ingredients.
- Cutting board To chop and prepare ingredients like garlic, green onions, and water chestnuts.
- Knife A sharp knife for chopping and mincing ingredients.
- Measuring spoons and cups For accurate measurements of ingredients like soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.
- Small Bowl with Water: To moisten the edges of the wonton wrappers for sealing.
- Slotted spoon To remove cooked wontons from boiling water without breaking them.
- Large pot For boiling water to cook the wontons and for heating the soup broth.
- Soup Ladle: For serving the hot broth over the cooked wontons.
- Saucepan or Small Pot: For preparing the soup broth with ginger, garlic, and green onions.
- Wonton Wrappers: Store-bought or homemade wrappers for wrapping the wonton filling.
- Serving Bowls: To serve the finished Kaew Nam (Wonton Soup).
- Chopsticks or Soup Spoons: For eating the soup and wontons.
- Fork: If you prefer, you can use a fork to crimp the edges of the wonton wrappers to seal them.
- Rolling Pin If you're making homemade wonton wrappers, you'll need a rolling pin to roll out the dough.
- Freezer Bags: If you plan to freeze uncooked wontons, you'll need freezer bags for storage.
Ingredients
For the Wontons:
- 1/2 lbs ground pork or ground shrimp (or a combination of both)
- 1/2 cup peeled and deveined shrimp, finely chopped (if not using shrimp in the filling)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 package wonton wrappers (about 50 wrappers)
For the Soup:
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 slices of ginger (about 1-inch each)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2-3 stalks of green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup bok choy or Chinese cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup baby spinach or any other green leafy vegetables
- 1-2 tsp soy sauce (adjust to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped cilantro and sliced green onions for garnish
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Instructions
Make the Wonton Filling:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork or shrimp (or both), minced garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper. Mix well until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Assemble the Wontons:
- Take one wonton wrapper and place about a teaspoon of the filling in the center.
- Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water and fold it diagonally to form a triangle, pressing the edges to seal. Make sure there are no air bubbles inside.
- Moisten the two opposite corners of the triangle and bring them together, sealing them to form a traditional wonton shape. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Cook the Wontons:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the wontons to the boiling water and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until they float to the surface and are cooked through.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked wontons and set them aside.
Prepare the Soup:
- In another large pot, bring the chicken or vegetable broth to a simmer. Add the ginger slices and smashed garlic cloves. Let them infuse the broth for about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the ginger and garlic from the broth.
- Add the sliced green onions, bok choy or Chinese cabbage, and baby spinach to the broth. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Season the Soup:
- Season the soup with soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust the seasoning as needed. If you like it spicy, you can add red pepper flakes at this point.
Serve:
- Divide the cooked wontons among serving bowls.
- Ladle the hot soup and vegetables over the wontons.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced green onions.
Notes
- Wonton Wrappers: If you can't find store-bought wonton wrappers, you can make your own from scratch. However, this can be a bit time-consuming. The store-bought ones are convenient and work well.
- Filling Variations: You can customize the filling by adding other ingredients like minced shrimp, finely chopped mushrooms, or even a bit of finely chopped cabbage for extra texture and flavor.
- Sealing Wontons: Make sure to seal the wontons tightly to prevent them from opening during cooking. You can use a little water to help seal the edges better. Crimping the edges with a fork is also an effective way to seal them.
- Cooking Wontons: Be careful not to overcrowd the pot when cooking the wontons in boiling water. Cook them in batches if necessary to ensure they cook evenly. Overcooking can cause the wrappers to become mushy, so keep an eye on them as they cook.
- Broth Flavor: You can adjust the flavor of the soup broth by adding more or less ginger, garlic, or green onions to suit your taste. Some people like a milder broth, while others prefer a stronger ginger flavor.
- Toppings: In addition to chopped green onions and white pepper, you can also garnish your wonton soup with a drizzle of sesame oil or a few drops of chili oil for extra flavor.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the wontons in advance and freeze them. Place the uncooked wontons on a baking sheet in a single layer, freeze until solid, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. Cook them directly from frozen when you're ready to enjoy them.
- Vegetarian/Vegan Option: For a vegetarian or vegan version, you can use tofu or plant-based ground meat substitutes for the filling and vegetable broth for the soup.
- Dipping Sauce: Serve your wontons with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a dash of sesame oil for added flavor.