Wonton Pho Soup

Ingredients:

For the Soup:
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 large onion (white)
- 4-inch piece of fresh ginger
- 4 cups broth (I choose vegetable, but any broth will do)
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons liquid aminos all purpose seasoning from soy protein (you can also use tamari or soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 ounces thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
- To add extra flavor, I add chives, fresh cilantro and microgreens
- Salt

For the Wontons:
- 1 pound shrimp
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon liquid aminos all purpose seasoning from soy protein (you can also use tamari or soy sauce)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon dry sherry
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Wonton wrappers

Instructions:

For the Wontons:

1. Coarsely chop the shrimp, mix it into the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, dry sherry and pepper.
2. Place 2 teaspoons of the mixture into the center of the wonton wrapper, wet the outside edges with water, fold one corner over forming a triangle, seal and pull the two opposite corners along the fold back together and repeat for remaining filling. 
3. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the wontons and simmer until they float to the top. Set the wontons aside until the soup is ready to serve. 

For the Soup: 

1. To start, heat up a soup pot over medium heat adding in the star anise, cinnamon sticks and cloves and toast until fragrant.
   Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the onion, ginger, vegetable stock, liquid aminos and water. You will want to turn the heat up to high and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. 
2. While the pot is simmering, you will want to prepare the shiitakes by placing them in a medium skillet with olive oil and saute until tender and lightly browned. Add a little salt as well. This will take about 6 minutes, then set them aside.
3. Once the broth is done cooking, strain out the spices, ginger and onion. If you feel you want to add a little more salt or liquid aminos you can add more in for taste.
4. Ladle the broth into bowls, add the wontons and mushrooms and fresh chives, cilantro and microgreens and enjoy!