Whenever my parents started their Chinese restaurant, the first thing they would do was create three soups every day. These three soups are standard fare at Chinese restaurants around.
These soups would help warm up the kitchen as we started our day, and I would frequently have a little cup of wonton soup broth or egg drop soup to begin the day.
Of the three traditional Chinese soups, everyone has a personal preference, and a steaming hot cup of one of these classics is a pleasant prelude to any meal. However, I enjoy a good egg drop soup if it’s done well! A personal favorite of mine has been added to the takeout menu: Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup.
SOUP MADE FROM DROPPING EGGS IS WHAT?
Because of the method of preparation, “Egg Drop” soup is referred called as such. Even a layperson can deduce that.
On the other hand, Egg flower soup in Chinese is a more accurate translation because the egg makes huge and small swirls in the soup resembling flowers.
In this recipe, you’ll find a classic restaurant-style egg drop soup that you can easily cook at home.
WHY MAKE EGG DROP FROM SCRAP AT HOME?
The 800-pound gorilla in the room is: Why make it yourself when you can buy a small order for $1.50?
There are three causes for this: M, S, and G.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a common ingredient in most restaurants, is utilized freely in the preparation of these soups.
Unless you’re allergic to MSG, it’s safest to make your own and use homemade chicken broth, store-bought organic chicken broth, or even vegetarian stock to make your soup without it. Using organic eggs and seasonings of your choice is an option when making egg drop soup.
Making this restaurant-style egg drop soup couldn’t have taken any longer than the time it took me to compose this piece!
I hope you’ll appreciate this one!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 3 lightly beaten eggs
- 1 chopped scallion
- 3 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon of sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a medium soup pot, boil the chicken stock. Salt, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil should all be combined. Add the turmeric or, if using, 5 drops of yellow food coloring. Although it is optional, this will give the soup a rich, restaurant-style golden color. After giving the soup a taste, adjust the seasoning as needed.
- The mixture of cornstarch and water is then added. As cornstarch settles rapidly, ensure the water and cornstarch are thoroughly combined. If you don’t stir the soup frequently as you pour in the slurry, cooked starch clumps will form in your soup. If you prefer your soup thicker or thinner, add more or less starch. You can also add the starch in a few tiny portions and check the consistency after letting the soup simmer for a few minutes.
- The most thrilling moment is finally here: the egg. This recipe calls for lightly beating the egg, producing swirls of the white and yellow egg. The amount of “egg flowers” you obtain will depend on how quickly you mix the soup after adding the egg, whether they are large or small (i.e., swirly bits of egg). You can add the egg gradually by circling the soup with a ladle as you do so.
- Serve the soup in dishes and garnish with scallions.