MY HAWAIIAN KITCHEN
Delectable memoirs of living on the slopes of Mt. Hualalai high above the famed Kona Coast on the beguiling Big Island of Hawaii.
The word 'wonton' come from the Chinese phrase meaning, ‘swallowing clouds’. I love that. Set those tender little morsels afloat in savory broth infused with fragrant seasonings and the whole darn thing tastes like heaven.
.Dear Journal – You know how you remember every little thing about some moments in time? Stormy skies painted the day. Big menacing, black-gray clouds brooded over the ocean. It drizzled on and off, with the ominous promise of more inclemency where ever you looked. Wind gusts, dark seas, dramatic scuttling skies. A stay-at-home-and-make-something-yummy day. Every once in awhile the clouds would part and shards of tropical sunshine turned the misty clouds that hung about our mountainside a delicious golden color. Windows were thrown open, Hapa was playing on the stereo at top volume and I was tootling about the kitchen making wonton soup when it happened ……huge billowy, twirling white-gray clouds purposefully meandered right into my living room. I kid you not. Clouds, right there in my house! I stopped in my tracks, arrested by the strangeness, the thrill of the moment. Then intently I rushed into the fog, hungry to feel it, to be in it, to be embraced by the sky. Cool. White. Ethereal. Clouds swirled and swayed to the island tunes. We met, we danced, we had a moment in time, me and those clouds that were born in the heavens above a tropical island so perfect they couldn’t help but come down for a visit. I touched and laughed and danced with the Hawaiian sky. And then, ever so quickly, as if they realized they weren’t supposed to be there, they were gone. I ran to the door to look to see where they were going, but, well, there was nothing to watch but the passing of a cloudy afternoon on the Big Island. You know how you remember every little thing about some moments in time?
Wonton filling: ½ pound ground pork 2 tablespoons shoyu (soy sauce) 1 tablespoon oyster sauce ½ teaspoon hot chile paste 2 green onions, finely chopped Good splash of rice wine vinegar ½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil About 24-30 wonton wrappers 1 - 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil 6 cups homemade or really good quality chicken stock 2-3 cups thinly sliced bok choy leaves and stalks Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Lay 1 wonton wrapper out in front of you on a flat surface. Moisten edges of wonton wrapper by brushing with water. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center. Fold the wonton in half like a triangle, pressing gently to keep filling tight and pressing edges to seal. Seal that baby really good so it doesn't open up and loose it's goodies. Dampen the 2 widest corners with a dab of water and bring them together around the filling so they overlap. Press to seal. Place wonton on cookie sheet that has been lightly dusted with cornstarch, and repeat with remaining wrappers. Wontons can be made ahead, covered and chilled up to 24 hours, until ready to use.
Heat vegetable and sesame oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Toss in chopped green onions and stir fry for 2-4 minutes until starting to caramelize. You need to get some caramelization on those onions to give the soup a wonderful depth. Add chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat , add bok choy and simmer 3-4 minutes. Add wontons and simmer, stirring occasionally until wontons float, and are cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Ladle broth and wontons into soup bowls and serve hot with a sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro. Slurp, slurp.
1 plump garlic clove, minced
Pinch of Hawaiian salt
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
2 bunches green onions, chopped
PHOTO CREDIT TASTE.COM.AU