Egg Drop Soup

It's fast. It's nutritious. It's Egg Drop Soup. Egg drop soup is a Chinese soup commonly consisting of chicken broth, beaten eggs and green onions.No need to run to the Chinese restaurant . It's a simple soup to make and it tastes very good.

Egg Drop Soup

 Ingredients: 

1. 4 cups of chicken stock  (use  vegetable stock if you want to make it eggetarian)
2. 2-3 eggs, lightly beaten (try to beat gently so there are no bubbles/foams)
3. a drizzle of Asian sesame oil/or hot oil( used for flavor. You may omit this is you do not like it)
4. 1.5 tablespoon of corn starch + 3 tablespoon water
5. 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6. 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce (optional)
7. white pepper powder, ground -   to taste
8. salt to taste
9. 5 stalks of spring/green onion, finely sliced (white and green part separated)

Optional: I have used some vegetables this time - the first 3 in the list. Use all of them, or your own or pick some or use none at all.

1. celery, only a tiny bit so the flavor of the soup is not over powered
2. carrots
3. bean sprouts
4. spinach
5. bok choy
6. mushroom
7. tofu

Method:

• In a pot/saucepan, combine broth, ginger  and vegetables (if you are using) other than the green parts of the scallions.  Bring it to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes. Add the white pepper, salt, soy sauce (if using) and the sesame oil/ or hot oil (if using).

• Combine water and cornstarch until free of lump. Add slowly to the boiling mixture.  Cook for about another minute or two.

• Reduce the heat and let the boil slow down to a light simmer. Hold beaten eggs in a bowl several inches (about 8 inches) above the pot and pour eggs in a very slow and thin stream,  into boiling mixture, and at the same time stirring gently but constantly with a fork or a pair of chopsticks in one and only one direction.  (pouring the egg too fast and too much quantity will have the eggs clump up and no ribbons/strands will be formed, neither will the texture be silky). You will see the eggs form thin ribbons/strands.

• Immediately remove pan from heat. (Add the prepared glass noodles if you are using them now).

• Garnish with finely sliced scallions/green onions. Serve hot.