If you’re searching for a quick and easy Chinese soup, look no further than this recipe for seaweed egg drop soup, made in the traditional home style of the Chinese people. This is a standard go-to recipe for the soup that many Chinese families eat with every meal.
It’s as well-liked as the tomato egg drop soup, another popular variation.
Chicken powder and water make for a quick and easy soup, but my homemade chicken stock or a combination of chicken and pork stock makes a difference. Now is the time to use whatever you have stashed in the freezer.
Vegetarians can substitute store-bought vegetable stock and leave out the dried shrimp.
Dried Seaweed Variations
Did you know that every type of seaweed can be eaten? Indeed, there are presently no known poisonous seaweeds. That’s plenty for both of us to eat! At present, seaweed is cultivated and harvested all through Asia.
Iodine helps keep your thyroid healthy and has other beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
That’s the silver lining. One potential drawback is the dizzying array of seaweeds available in the dried ingredients section of Asian supermarkets, with names like “kelp,” “laver,” “kombu,” “moss,” “nori,” and many more.
Look for seaweed sold in big, round cakes labeled as “dried laver” for this dish. Additionally, it is accessible via the internet. To avoid confusion, this is different from the roasted and salted seaweed sold in small index card-sized sheets and eaten dry.
Ingredients:
- 5 g of dried seaweed
- 4 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock, 950 ml)
- 1 cup of water (can replace with more stock)
- 5 g of dried shrimp flakes (optional)
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. of sesame oil (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp. of white pepper
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 1 scallion (thinly sliced)
Instructions:
- Dry the seaweed and toast it for a minute or two in a clean, dry wok over medium heat. Take out of the pan or wok and set aside.
- Chicken stock and water should be combined in a pot or wok and brought to a boil. Put in the toasted seaweed, pepper, oil, and dried shrimp flakes (if using). Reheat to a boil while stirring.
- While the stock is heating up, add the beaten eggs and chopped scallions. Reheat to a boil, then serve at once.