2.5 cups of water
1 tablespoon no-chicken base broth
1 tablespoon korean chili paste (gojuchang is ok) or any chili pepper paste. Add more if you want more heat.
4 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
2 teaspoons white pepper (different than black pepper, you can find them at Oriental markets)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (if you used chili pepper paste, there’s no need)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 oz firm tofu, drained and pressed. cut into small 1/2-inch square cubes.
1/4 cup green or napa cabbage, chopped thinly like strips
4-5 broccoli florets
1 celery rib, diced very small like cubes
2 porcini mushrooms, chopped thinly like strips
half of 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca starch
1 green onion, finely chopped for garnish
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped for garnish
Wonton wrappers, slice into 1/2 inch strips like noodle strips. Apply a bit of flour to keep them from sticking together (just like you handle freshly made noodles).
Boil water, add no-chicken base or vegetable broth. Let it boil for 5 minutes.
Add chili pepper paste, black vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, white pepper, chili flakes, sesame oil and soy sauce. Mix in.
Add all veggies except for tofu, green onions, napa cabbage, cilantro and wonton wrapper strips and cook for about 8-10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
While boiling, dissolve the cornstarch in the water (at least 3 tablespoons of water) and stir until smooth. Mix that into the soup and continue to simmer until thickens. Add more cornstarch if the soup is not thick as it should look.
Add diced tofu and napa cabbages.
Add wonton wrappers strips, stir. Add one at a time to avoid sticking to each other.
Garnish the soup with chopped green onions and cilantro (optional: pickled Chinese cabbage).
