Turkey-Shrimp Wonton Soup with Kabocha Squash

One of the reasons why I love being at home in New Jersey is because I have the heart to make slightly more elaborate meals for my family. The day-to-day meals I prepare for myself lean on the simpler side with minimal salads, soups, and grains, but because cooking is one of the ways I show my love, I don't hesitate to spend more time in the kitchen for my family. Plus, there are some ingredients that aren't worth buying in Ithaca where most grocery stores within walking distance are overpriced ($15 for a regular 16-oz jar of peanut butter? Is there gold in it or something?!). 

But this recipe is something that's feasible to make, time and cost-wise, so long as you find access to wonton wrappers, which most grocery stores (and certainly all Asian specialty stores) have on hand. On the off chance you can't find them, fresh lasagna sheets or homemade sheets of pasta dough work beautifully, too. 

Wrapping dumplings is traditionally a family affair (see my video here), but it doesn't have to be that elaborate. There's ways to make this recipe more efficient for a hurried weeknight meal. Make the filling one night. Wrap the wontons while you're watching tv after dinner another night. Make the soup and enjoy the wontons for dinner the following night! Wontons also freeze well, so make large batches and keep them on hand to have whenever you're in a pinch! 

Recipe: Curried Turkey Wonton Soup with Kabocha Squash

Adapted from: Half Baked Harvest

1/2 pound of ground turkey

1 cup of fresh shrimp, shelled and deveined, chopped into 1/2 inch sized chunks

1 inch of fresh ginger, grated

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of sesame seed oil

1 tablespoon of red Thai curry paste

1 package of wonton wrappers (found in the frozen Asian foods aisle)

small bowl of tap water

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

1/3 cup of red miso paste (I use low sodium)

6 cups of water

1 inch fresh ginger, cut into 3-4 strips

1/2 kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin), sliced into 1" crescents

2 cups of baby bok choy/baby Shanghai, washed and peeled from the core

1/2 cup of shiitake or baby portobello mushrooms

4 green onions, finely sliced (separate whites from greens)

handful of pomegranate arils

toasted sesame seeds (I used both white and black)

2 sheets of nori (roasted seaweed), cut into 1/4 inch x 1 inch strips*

Make the filling: 

In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, shrimp, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, and curry paste just until combined. (Optional: let the mixture sit in the refrigerator overnight to marinate.)

Wrap the wontons (envelope-style): 

Starting with 1 wonton wrapper, place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water and fold the wrapper in half (into a triangle). Seal around the filling to remove air bubbles. Dab water onto the bottom corners of the triangle and fold them together so they overlap. Place the wonton on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers until all filling has been used. 

Here is a more detailed blogpost with step-by-step photos about wrapping wontons with other variations to consider. The envelope method is listed last!

Make the soup:

In a large soup pot, combine the sesame oil and miso paste over medium heat. Stir the oil and miso to combine into a paste; the heat will help develop the flavors and loosen the miso. Gradually add water, 1 cup at a time, to ensure that the miso is thoroughly mixed. After all the water is added, add the ginger, white parts of the green onions, and squash. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the squash is fork tender (about 10 minutes). Add the bok choy, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes. 

Uncover, increase the heat to high, add the mushrooms and dumplings, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the dumplings float and are cooked through in the middle. Remove from the heat. 

To serve:

Spoon 3-4 dumplings into a bowl and ladle broth on top. Garnish with the green parts of the green onions, pomegranate arils, sesame seeds, and nori. 

*You can combine the nori with the sesame seeds in a large jar to have your own homemade "furikake" on hand for garnishing in the future. Feel free to add some salt, sugar, and dried bonito to your taste. It goes great on top of rice, and this is my favorite way to re-use sesame seeds that have crumbled off of freshly sliced sesame seed bread.