This was originally posted previously, so its an oldie-but-goodie (heavy emphasis on the goodie part!), but I wanted to repost it in celebration of Chinese New Year. This week more then 1.5 BILLION people around the world will welcome in the year of the dog with noodles and dumplings. This recipe continues to be one of my favorite.

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I love everything Asian; I love the languages, the culture, but most of all I love Asian food.  This includes, but is not limited to food from China, Thailand, India, Indonesia…the list could go on and on.  I love to cook and explore culinary techniques, ingredients and recipes from throughout the region. Dumplings are popular thoughout Asia,  these are based more in traditional northern Chinese flavors.

Just a few notes, this recipe includes a lot of steps but that is more so my detailed directions vice the recipe being complicated, and the finished product results in a lot of dumplings, so be prepared to invite friends and family to help fold the dumplings and enjoy the little parcels of heaven

Note: This recipe was inspired by a recipe at Epicurious, however I didn’t quite like theirs, so I made some tweaks to produce something that is all my own.

Chinese Dumplings and Wonton Soup

For the Soup:

• 2 pieces bone-in chicken, preferably chicken thigh (can be uncooked, or un-fried cooked leftovers)
• 2 pieces bone-in pork, ribs or pork chop
• 4 coarsely chopped scallions (also one chopped scallion for soup garnish)
• 1 (2-inch) peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
• 6 cups water, or chicken broth
• 2 bunches baby bok choy
• salt
• pepper

For the Wontons:

• 1.5 lbs ground pork
• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 finely chopped green onions
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1.5 tsp sesame oil
• 1 c finely chopped boy choy
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 50 wonton wrappers

Pan Frying Wontons:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

Making the Broth for the Wonton Soup:

1. Place chicken, pork, scallions, ginger and water in large stock pot.  Bring to boil on high heat, the turn heat to medium-low; broth should be still simmering.
2. Simmer for approximately 4-5 hours; meat should be very tender and falling off the bone.  Pour broth through a strainer, into a large bowl and discard the solids.  Cool the broth, then cover and chill in fridge for 1-2 hours.  Broth can be chilled overnight.

Making the Wontons:

1. In a large bowl combine pork, egg yolk, green onion, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, bok choy and pepper.  Using your hand, combine the ingredients.  Do not overwork or filling will be tough.
2. Prepare a small bowl of water for sealing the dumplings.  Set aside.  Place wonton wrapper on work surface, and using your finger brush water along all four edges of the wonton wrapper.
3. Spoon a rounded teaspoon of the meat mixture on the center of wrapper, fold the wrapper in half so the edges meet (like folding a sheet), and press the edges closed (like closing a ziploc bag).  Fold the wonton in half again, and softly fold the wonton in half lengthwise.  If you are having trouble, see my picture above.
4. Place each folded wonton on an ungreased baking sheet.  Do not stack the wontons or pack them too tightly; you do not want them to stick together.
5. Once the baking sheet is full (or you have run out of wonton wrappers), place baking sheet flat in the freezer.  Continue wrapping wontons until you run out of meat filling.
6. After 30 min remove wontons from freezer and use for wonton soup, or move to freezer-safe Ziploc bags.

Putting the Soup Together (Finally!):

1. Remove the chilled broth, and skim off any fat from the surface of the broth.
2. Bring broth to a simmer on medium heat in large pot.  Stir bok choy into broth, add salt and pepper to taste.  Continue to simmer, uncovered for approximately 3-4 minutes (or until bok choy is tender).
3. Add frozen wontons  to broth, and continue to simmer for approximately 10 minutes, slightly stirring. Wontons should be floating on the surface, and no longer appear bright pink through the wrapper, instead they should appear slightly brown.
4. Ladle broth into bowls with wontons.  Garnish with spring onions, and serve!

Pan Frying the Remaining Wontons:

1. Place 8 wontons in shallow pan with 2 tbsp olive oil.  Pan fry uncovered for approximately 3 minutes, until they are browned on the bottom.
2. Turn wontons over in pan, and cover, for approximately 3 minutes, until browned on bottom and cooked through. Serve! Yum!