Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Wonton Soup
363 kcal a serving, against 449 for the traditional version. That is 86 kcal off, or 19%, with 28.4g of protein. Serves 6. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A rich chicken broth filled with soft pastry parcels. The dumplings contain a highly seasoned mix of minced fatty pork shoulder and prawns, bound with soy sauce and heavily scented with roasted sesame oil. Usually finished with a thick slick of extra oil on top of the soup.
What changed, and what each change costs
300g of fatty pork shoulder for 4% fat lean pork mince
The fat in the traditional filling stays trapped inside the wrapper when you boil it. Using lean mince strips out a huge chunk of fat while keeping the protein high.
What it costs you. You lose the classic springy texture. The filling here is noticeably firmer, leaning closer to a tight meatball than a soft paste.
30g of sesame oil down to 10g
Sesame oil is glorious but very calorie dense. I keep a small amount in the filling for flavour but drop the traditional heavy drizzle over the finished bowls.
What it costs you. The broth lacks that shiny, nutty oil slick on the surface. You'll taste the chicken stock more prominently.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 449 | 363 |
| Protein | 26.4g | 28.4g |
| Fat | 18.5g | 8.1g |
| Saturated fat | 5g | 2.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 42.9g | 43.2g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.9g | 7.8g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, crustaceans, eggs, soybeans, sesame.
The method is in the book
This is a fantastic bowl of soup. The broth is fresh and sharp, and the dumplings deliver a massive savoury punch. Yes, the pork filling is firmer than what you'd get at a good Chinese restaurant. Lean meat simply behaves differently when boiled in a tight pastry casing. But the trade is heavily in your favour. You get all the comfort and warmth of the original dish, stacked with lean protein, without feeling like you drank a puddle of melted fat.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback