The Soup Queen

Wai san plant that I grew from fresh wai san  This is a wai san plant. I didn't even know I could grow them here in Malaysia. And I grew them by accident! ( Wrote about them a while back too). Below is a fresh wai san tuber. I've always bought this in my Lip Sin market. Used it for soups . Fresh wai san root  Fresh wai san tuber can keep for a few weeks in the fridge. Just make sure you wrap it in some newspaper and put it into a plastic bag. Sometimes though I forget I have wai san. After a month or so, I get icky about using the old wai san lying about in my fridge. As you know I never throw organic stuff that's edible away. I just turn them into compost. So I chucked the old wai san into my compost pot. I figured it will disintegrate and become compost after a month or so. But imagine my surprise when I started digging up the compost. The wai san was alive and growing! It sprouted new roots. I was feeling adventurous so I decided to give...

I got this question today in my email. A reader emailed me to ask for the "wan tan" or "won ton" soup. Please help me with the recipe for the broth (only) for won ton soup. Every Chinese reataurant makes it and has the same taste which I am addicted to. Tried with plain chicken broth and added garlic powder, celery, some soy sauce and green onion, perhaps some white wine and sesame oil but not the same. Can you help? Here's my answer: I've tasted the Malaysian versions of wan tan soup, not the American Chinese restaurant version. So my answer and reply to this reader is based on what I have tasted. I recently watched a TV programme where I learnt how wan tan soup is made. They used "ikan bilis" or dried anchovies as well as dried red dates. I am not sure if they added chicken bones or meat bones but it is OK to do so as this adds to the 'sweetness' of the soup. Please do not be mistaken about 'sweetness'. Sweetness...