Potsticker Soup

It has been a pretty rough couple of weeks here. My cold quickly turned from that into a respiratory infection, which triggered the worst asthma attack I have had in 5 or 6 years. Even though I disinfected everything I touched, Jack caught the same cold and his turned into bronchitis. In fact, I hate to admit it, but I was so miserable that I thought his cough was just a “sympathetic” cough, and didn’t do much about it except throw cough drops at him for a few days…

In the last 10 days or so, I have totally depleted my freezer full of chicken and vegetable stock since I prepared only very simple, quick soups and stews. I actually located a couple of meals in the freezer (I have to remember to make extra and freeze occasionally for situations such as this) which I was able to use as well.

Today, however, looks a bit brighter. Although it sounds like a 1950’s hospital TB ward around here with all of the coughing going on, I realized that I could make it the whole way up the stairs to the second floor without having to stop and breathe. Pretty pathetic.

Back when this all started and Jack was still cold-free, he met with our accountant and, when he arrived home, brought me a huge container of wonton soup from our favorite local Chinese restaurant. I love their wonton soup, and had recently found out that it tasted so good because the owner makes his broth from scratch. Yum. There’s nothing worse than salty, greasy chicken broth. A few days later, on our way home from my doctor appointment, we stopped at the same restaurant and I had the soup again. It just made me feel so much better!

While talking with the owner (Glenn!), he mentioned that he enjoys chicken broth with potstickers as a quick meal. Hmmm. Why had I never heard of this before? Jack and I love potstickers, any kind, and we have found that Trader Joe’s chicken and vegetable dumplings are one of our favorites. However, I had never heard of boiling them in broth, only steaming or pan-frying.

Today, we needed more soup. We are living on soup. As I mentioned earlier, my freezer supply of homemade chicken and vegetable stock had been depleted. As was our supply of cough drops. So I went out to the local grocery store and picked up a few supplies.

The only low-sodium chicken stock or broth which had been suggested to me, and was available at the small store, was Swanson’s chicken stock. Armed with a couple of boxes of that, plus some vegetables and fruit, milk, juice, and cough drops, I came home and took a nap. :)

When I finally got around to moving again, I dug out a package of TJ’s dumplings out of the freezer and went to work. The soup which I made was incredibly simple, but very delicious. The dumplings were more filling than wontons, and I added some vegetables and a few seasonings as well, which made this a well-rounded meal.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Potsticker Soup

Recipe By; Vicci

Servings: 2 Preparation Time :0:20

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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2 1/2 cups low-sodium defatted chicken broth

2/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon minced ginger

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon oriental hot sauce -- (sambal oelek is a good choice)

1 large carrot -- split lengthwise and sliced diagonally

3/4 cup thinly sliced green cabbage -- any kind, but I prefer Napa or Bok Choy

2 large green onions -- slice all but keep the green tops separate (for garnish)

12 whole Trader Joe's Chicken Gyoza Potstickers, unthawed

1 teaspoon arrowroot -- mixed with 1 teaspoon water, optional

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Bring the broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepot. Add the ginger, garlic, hot sauce, carrot, and cabbage.

Turn down the heat to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the green onion WHITES and the potstickers, turn up the heat to return to a boil, then turn the heat back down, partially cover, and cook until the potstickers are tender (TJ's directions say about 2-3 minutes)

If a slightly thicker broth is desired, add the arrowroot-and-water mixture and stir until thickened. Turn off heat and stir in the sesame oil. Divide between two deep bowls, sprinkle with the reserved sliced green onion tops. Dust with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.

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Per serving: 260 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat (1g Saturated); (15% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 26mg Cholesterol; 1347mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

I have to add that Jack loved this soup so much he has requested it for tomorrow, too! :)

Next time I get to the store, I will pick up some snow peas to shred into the soup as well-- I think it would be a delicious addition.