Chinese Dumpling Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 cups low-sodium chicken or 8 cups mushroom broth
1 piece fresh ginger, about 2 inches long. peeled and julienned
1 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably dark
1/4 cup rice cooking wine or 1/4 cup pale dry sherry
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch salt
2 carrots, thinly sliced on the bias- about 1 cup
16 ounces frozen chinese dumplings, pork, shrimp or 16 ounces chicken
3 scallions, thinly sliced
4 cups Baby Spinach
chopped cilantro (optional)
asian chili paste (optional)

Preparation

Put the broth, ginger, soy, wine, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and salt in a soup pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat so the broth simmers and cooks to lightly flavor with ginger, about 10-15-minutes.
Add the carrots, and simmer until tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Just before serving, add the dumplings, cook for 3 minutes, stir in the scallions and spinach and cook until the greens wilt, about 1 minute. Divide among warm bowls and serve. Serve with chili sauce on the side if desired.
Optional- Cook the dumplings according to package directions for potstickers- Serve dumplings on the side of soup.