Kimchi Soup with Vegetable Wontons.

The past 3 mornings here in the Adelaide Hills have been chilly. Car windscreens and hoses have been frozen solid and it seems like the perfect time to make some warming Kimchi Soup.

In Korean cuisine, kimchi is not only a condiment or pickle; it is also used as an ingredient in many cooked dishes. Kimchi soup, called Jjigae, is a satisfying example. The fermented kimchi  quickly provide deep flavour to the broth, so it makes for a quick and easy winter meal. Aged kimchi, which is more intensely sour, is the preferred type to use. The soup is smooth with a hot and sour kick.

This recipe is the one I demonstrated at the Adelaide Hills Farmers Market on Saturday 30th of June 2018.
I hope you all take the time to make this and enjoy at home.
Belinda.
 

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Ingredients:
Broth
6 cloves of garlic
5cm piece of ginger
300g Asian greens
4 spring onions
2L water
4 tsp tamari
Kimchi Soup
1 Tblsp of oil (can you sesame if you wish)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups kimchi, aged if possible, squeezed dry and chopped
1 tablespoon Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
1 cup kimchi juice
8 cups of Broth (above)- you can use chicken or beef broth if you prefer.
Wontons
2 spring onion finely sliced
½ teaspoon ginger, finely grated
1 large garlic glove crushed
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari
½ a cabbage, outer leaves removed, washed and cut into 5mm strips.
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 packet of square wonton wrappers
To serve
Spring onions and seasonal Asian vegetables   

What to do:
Broth.

1. Peel and crush the garlic, then peel and roughly chop the ginger. Trim the greens, finely shredding the cabbage, if using. Trim and finely slice the spring onions.
2. Put all ingredients, except tamari into the pot and put on the stove on a high heat.
3. Bring it just to the boil, then turn down very low and gently simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Strain into another pot and season with tamari.

Kimchi Soup.

1. Heat oil in a saucepan.
2. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Turn heat to medium high and add kimchi and Korean chilli powder (gochugaru). Let mixture simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add kimchi juice and broth and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to a brisk simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
6. Taste broth and adjust seasoning.

  Wontons.

1. Slice spring onion, grate ginger and crush garlic. Set aside.
2. Slice the Chinese Cabbage. Set aside
3. In a large sauce pan or wok heat sesame oil and a small amount of oil.
4. Add spring onion, ginger and garlic and fry into fragrant.
5. Add Cabbage and stir fry until cabbage is soft with a little bit of crunch.
6. Add tamari, salt and pepper.
7. Set aside to cool.

  To make Wontons

1. Place wonton wrappers on a chopping board.
2. Have a bowl of cold water ready to use to seal the wontons.
3. Place a teaspoon of mixture into the middle of the wonton.
4. Moisten around the edged of wrapper and fold in sides.
5. Moisten again and roll wrapper up.
6. Do this with all of your wonton wrappers.
7. Cook in a steamer or directly in the broth.

 To serve

1. Place cooked wontons into a serving bowl.
2. Top with kimchi soup.
3. Garnish with sliced spring onion and any other seasonal Asian vegetables (maybe even some tofu).