Recipe - Eggplant Wonton Soup

EGGPLANTCAVIAR FILLING
1 Red bell pepper
1 pound Eggplant
Olive oil spray
2 Jalapeno peppers, seeded &
minced
One fourth cup Mixed fresh herbs
5 Saffron threads, crushed
6 ounce Extrafirm tofu, minced
Salt & pepper
48 Round won ton wrappers

BROTH
5 cup Stock
2 Carrots, cut on the diagonal
24 Snow peas
2 Tomatoes, peeled, seeded &
minced
1 1/2" ginger, cut or sliced up
24 lg Cilantro leaves, for garnish
1 tablespoon Extravirgin olive oil

Char pepper on all sides. Transfer to a covered bowl & set aside. Grill
eggplants for at least 15 minutes. Rub off skins of both pepper & eggplant.
Seed, devein & mince pepper. Cut eggplant lengthwise into 3/8" thick
slices. Spray olive oil on both sides. Grill slices till golden & cut into
1/4" dice.

Combine in a bowl the eggplant, pepper, jalapeno, herbs, saffron & tofu.
Season lightly. Place about One half tablespoon of filling in centre of each won ton
wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water & press one edge over
the other, forming a semicircle. Press tightly to seal the entire edge.
Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Lay a round of parchment paper in a steam basket. Cover it with a single
layer of won ton wrappers & spray with olive oil. Top with a parchment
round & continue to layer & spray won tons in between rounds of parchment.
Cover pot & steam over boiling water for 5 minutes. Set aside covered.

Place a soup pot over high heat. Add stock & reduce it to 3 One half cups.
Lower heat & drop in carrots & cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add snow peas & tomato
& cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat; add won tons, ginger & cilantro.
Serve in shallow bowls, allowing 6 won tons to one person. Each serving can
be drizzled with olive oil.

Serve with Carrot Slaw & Pine Nut & Orange Wild Rice Salad for a lunch
meal.

Yamuna Devi, "Yamuna's Table"