Shepherd's purse and pork wonton noodle soup
Shepherd's purse and pork wontons with thin noodles and pea shoots in clear broth. Freeze a batch for a 15-minute lunch at home.
- 35 min
- Serves 2
- Boil
- Medium
Why it suits you: A balanced constitution simply follows the season. Shepherd's purse is at its best around Qingming and clears liver heat; with yin-nourishing pork and fresh pea shoots in a mild broth, it's a light lunch that is neither heating nor heavy.
Method
Prep 25 min · Cook 10 min- 1Pick off any yellow leaves and wash the shepherd's purse. Blanch for 30 seconds, cool under running water, squeeze dry and chop finely.
- 2Mix the pork with the soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper and 2 tbsp water, stirring in one direction until sticky, then fold in the shepherd's purse.
- 3Put 1 tsp of filling on each wrapper, fold in half and pinch to seal — about 24 wontons. Freeze any you won't eat today.
- 4Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the wontons for 4–5 minutes until they float, add the noodles for 1 minute, then lift both into bowls.
- 5Bring the stock to the boil, blanch the pea shoots for 30 seconds, pour over the bowls and scatter with spring onion.
Chef's tips
- Make a big batch: freeze the wontons on a tray, then bag them. On weekdays cook straight from frozen for 6–7 minutes.
- No fresh shepherd's purse at the market? Shanghainese grocers sell it frozen — thaw and squeeze dry.
The TCM view
Shepherd's purse is sweet and cool, clears the liver, brightens the eyes and drains water; pork is sweet, salty and neutral and nourishes yin; pea shoots are sweet and cool and clear heat; noodles and stock settle the stomach. The bowl is balanced and slightly clearing — in step with Qingming's call to clear heat and nourish the liver and kidneys, without straining digestion.
