1. Make the wonton filling

Start by combining the ground beef, chopped shrimp, grated ginger, green onions, soy sauce, salt, and sesame oil in a mixing bowl. Grab a potato masher or a sturdy spoon, and start mashing the mixture together. You’re looking for a fairly smooth consistency, but don’t over-mash – those little bits of shrimp add a lovely texture to the finished wontons.

2. Wrapping the wontons

Lay a wonton wrapper flat on your work surface, and place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Dip your finger (or a small brush) in water, and brush two edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the filling to form a triangle, pressing out any air bubbles. Then, dab a little water on one of the corners and bring the two bottom corners together, pressing to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers until you’ve got a little army of wontons ready to go.

3. Cooking or freezing the wontons

To cook the wontons right away, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the wontons, a few at a time, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to serving bowls. If you want to freeze them, arrange the uncooked wontons in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a container. When cooking from frozen, just add a couple of extra minutes.

4. Making the broth

While the wontons are cooking, it’s time to prepare the broth. Combine the chicken broth, smashed garlic cloves, ginger slice, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Before serving, remove the garlic and ginger to keep the broth smooth and delicate.

5. Assembling the soup

If you’re adding noodles, cook them separately according to package instructions and place them in the bowls. Add a few cooked wontons to each bowl, then ladle the hot broth over them. Garnish with shredded green onions for a pop of color and extra flavor. If you’re adding bok choy, quickly blanch it in the broth before assembling.