Wonton Noodle Soup

Pat 100 g shrimp dry and chop coarsely. Finely slice the white and green parts of the spring onion separately and grate 5 g ginger. Wash and tear 100 g lettuce into large leaves; loosen 200 g fresh thin noodles. Keep the shrimp and 100 g pork chilled until ready to mix.

Mix 100 g pork with all the spring onion whites and ginger, 1 tsp light soy sauce, ⅛ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp white pepper and ½ tsp sesame oil in one direction. Add 20 ml cold stock in two additions, letting each absorb. Once sticky and cohesive, mix in all 100 g shrimp.

Divide the filling into 16 equal portions. Place one on each 9 cm square wrapper. Use a little of the reserved 20 ml water to moisten two edges; fold diagonally, press out air and seal. Moisten and join the two outer corners into an ingot shape. Space all 16 on a tray, cover and refrigerate until cooking. Wash tools that touched raw filling before using them for cooked food.

Bring the remaining 800 ml stock to a boil in a small saucepan, then lower the heat. Stir in the remaining 3 tsp light soy sauce, ¼ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp white pepper and ½ tsp sesame oil. Taste, cover and keep hot. Keep wonton and noodle cooking water out of the broth.

Bring 2,000 ml water to a boil in a large pot. Add all 16 wontons, nudge apart and gently boil for about 4–6 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2,000 ml water in another pot for Step 6. Floating does not confirm doneness: check the largest filling with a thin probe for at least 71°C; continue cooking and recheck if needed. Drain into two bowls, 8 each, then divide the hot broth equally.

Keep the second pot of water boiling. Blanch 100 g lettuce for about 15–30 seconds until just wilted and still green; lift out and divide between the bowls. Return the water to a boil, add 200 g noodles and gently separate. Follow the packet timing, tasting from about 1 minute. Drain as soon as the hard center disappears and the strands remain springy.

Immediately divide the drained noodles between the two hot bowls, half the batch per bowl. Gently nest the strands while keeping wontons and lettuce visible. Divide all the spring onion greens over the bowls and serve at once.