Name: Malaysian Wonton Noodle Soup with Char Siu Pork
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 250 g (9 oz) ground pork; 150 g (5 oz) raw prawns, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1 egg white; 1 small shallot, finely grated; 1 package (about 30 sheets) square wonton wrappers; 1 kg (2.2 lb) pork bones, blanched; 20 g (3/4 oz) dried shrimp, rinsed; 2 liters (8 cups) water; 1-inch knob fresh ginger, smashed; 4 garlic cloves, smashed; 3 scallions, halved; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste; 600 g (1.3 lb) fresh thin egg noodles (wantan mee style); 300 g (10 oz) Chinese broccoli (gai lan) or choy sum, trimmed; 4 soft-boiled eggs, peeled and halved; 200 g (7 oz) char siu (Chinese BBQ pork), thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons fried shallots; 2 scallions, thinly sliced; Sambal oelek or chili paste, to serve

A hawker-stall classic from Kuala Lumpur and Penang, this Malaysian wonton noodle soup features springy egg noodles in a clear, deeply savory pork-and-dried-shrimp broth, topped with plump prawn-and-pork wontons, sliced char siu, blanched greens, and a soft egg. Unlike Hong Kong-style versions, the Malaysian rendition is served swimming in broth rather than tossed in sauce, and the wontons almost always contain prawns.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time80 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

560 kcalCalories
19 gFat
6 gSaturated Fat
58 gCarbs
4 gFiber
4 gSugar
34 gProtein
1180 mgSodium
780 mgPotassium
135 mgCalcium
5 mgIron
22 mgVitamin C
320 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the pork and prawn wontons

250 g (9 oz) ground pork
150 g (5 oz) raw prawns, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 egg white
1 small shallot, finely grated
1 package (about 30 sheets) square wonton wrappers

For the broth

1 kg (2.2 lb) pork bones, blanched
20 g (3/4 oz) dried shrimp, rinsed
2 liters (8 cups) water
1-inch knob fresh ginger, smashed
4 garlic cloves, smashed
3 scallions, halved
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

For the noodles and toppings

600 g (1.3 lb) fresh thin egg noodles (wantan mee style)
300 g (10 oz) Chinese broccoli (gai lan) or choy sum, trimmed
4 soft-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
200 g (7 oz) char siu (Chinese BBQ pork), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fried shallots
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Sambal oelek or chili paste, to serve

Directions

Make the broth: in a large stockpot, combine pork bones, dried shrimp, water, ginger, garlic, and scallions. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Skim off any foam, partially cover, and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the broth is milky and flavorful. Strain through a fine sieve and season with soy sauce, white pepper, and salt; keep hot.
While the broth simmers, prepare the wontons: in a bowl, combine ground pork, chopped prawns, cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, egg white, and grated shallot. Mix in one direction for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper, brush the edges with water, fold into a triangle, then bring the two outer corners together, overlapping them and sealing with a dab of water to form a classic nurse hat shape.
Bring a separate pot of water to a gentle boil and cook the wontons in batches for 4-5 minutes, until the filling is firm and opaque and the wrappers are just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Blanch the noodles: in the same pot of water, cook the fresh egg noodles for 1-2 minutes until just tender but still springy. Drain and divide among 4 large deep soup bowls. Immediately blanch the Chinese broccoli or choy sum in the hot water for 30-45 seconds, then arrange alongside the noodles.
To assemble, ladle the hot seasoned broth generously over the noodles in each bowl. Top with 4-5 wontons, a few slices of char siu, a portion of greens, and two halves of soft-boiled egg. Scatter fried shallots and sliced scallions over the top.
Serve immediately with sambal oelek or chili paste on the side for those who want extra heat. Provide a soup spoon and chopsticks, and encourage diners to sip the broth between bites for the full Malaysian hawker experience.

Cook’s Notes

For the silkiest broth, simmer pork bones slowly and never let it boil hard; a rolling boil emulsifies too much fat and clouds the flavor. Skim patiently in the first 10 minutes.
To make perfect soft-boiled eggs, lower room-temperature eggs into boiling water and cook exactly 6 minutes 30 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath for 2 minutes before peeling. The yolk should be jammy and just set.
Dried shrimp is non-negotiable for authentic Malaysian wantan mee flavor; it provides the deep umami backbone that distinguishes this from other regional wonton noodle soups.
If fresh wonton mee noodles are unavailable, substitute fresh thin Hong Kong-style egg noodles and reduce the blanching time slightly, as they cook faster.
Char siu can be store-bought from any Chinese BBQ shop, or you can use leftover roasted pork shoulder brushed with a little hoisin and honey as a quick stand-in.