Shanghai-Style Savory Wonton Soup

1. Prepare the filling

In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped shrimp, water, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced ginger, cornstarch, fine sea salt, toasted sesame oil, and white pepper powder. Use a rubber spatula or chopsticks to mix everything together until it becomes a sticky paste.

2. Assemble the wontons

Take a wonton wrapper and place about one tablespoon of the filling in the center. Squeeze the wrapper around the filling to form a pouch, making sure to seal it properly to prevent the filling from escaping during cooking. Place the assembled wontons on a parchment-lined sheet pan and repeat until all the filling is used up.

3. Cook the wontons

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Gently drop the wontons into the pot. Allow the water to return to a boil, then add a little cool water to bring the temperature down slightly. When the wontons float to the surface, let them simmer for an additional 30 seconds to ensure they are cooked through.

4. Prepare the soup

In a separate pot, bring your stock to a simmer. In each serving bowl, add a pinch of fine sea salt, a dash of white pepper powder, a few drops of toasted sesame oil, and some finely chopped scallions.

5. Assemble and serve

Ladle the hot stock into the prepared bowls. Using a strainer, transfer the cooked wontons to the bowls. Serve immediately, and add any optional toppings like dried laver, dried shrimp flakes, pork lard, or egg ribbons for extra flavor.