Egg Drop Soup

Wish all my readers a very happy new year and hope 2014 will fulfill all your dreams and ambitions. I am back after a long break. We spent a very relaxed and warm year-end vacation in the midst of beautiful and sunny San Diego weather. It’s so hard to imagine 70 F temperature and people going to beaches in the last week of December. So only way to feel the cold and snow was to visit nearby mountain tops like big bears. It was so refreshing to see snows on the road while driving. My kid had a nice skiing experience for the first time. Like every other years, we celebrated 31^st night at residence of our family friend with other members from Bengali community. It was great fun with authentic Indian food and music.

But eventually I had to be back to my old routine and so started preparing myself for new blog post. I was searching for some quick and easy recipe that would be perfect to start the New Year. During the vacation, we tried out different Chinese cousins and today’s idea is influenced by those experiences. Today I will share the recipe of a soup, which is favorite not only at my family, but probably to most of the people who likes soups. It’s called Egg Drop Soup. This is the most soothing and comforting dish that needs only three basic ingredients. It is very simple, flavorful and a healthy choice, if you are looking for a lighter soup. It takes only 15 minutes to be on the table from oven. 

It is a Chinese Soup of beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth. The chicken broth is seasoned with white pepper and soy sauce. It is finished by adding a thin stream of beaten eggs to the boiling broth. Once it’s done thin and silken threads of cooked egg floats in the soup. You can add your choice of vegetables in the broth that makes the soup healthier! A warm bowl of protein and vegetables give you that feel good factor at any time. I am sure that it will slowly become everybody’s favorite in your home and then regular refreshment in the evening.

This is my version of Egg Drop Soup. I have no idea how to make the authentic one. But this one is based on the tastes that we used to have American Chinese or Indo-Chinese restaurants. 

Recipe of Egg Drop Soup : Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients :

Chicken Stock  / vegetable stock : 2 cups and half cup

Corn Starch : 1 and half tablespoon 

Water : 3 tablespoon 

Light Soy Sauce : 1/2 tsp 

White pepper powder ( ground ) : as per taste

Salt :  to taste 

Egg : 2 lightly beaten 

Spring onion or green onion : ( a handful ) finely chopped ( keep the green part and white part separately). 

Vegetables : I used finely sliced carrot ( a handful ), you can use mushroom / bean sprout / celery / tomato / tofu.

Method :

1. In a small bowl, mix the corn starch with the water. Stir it well to blend and set aside. 

2. Take a medium sized soup pot, pour the stock or broth and add vegetable and the white part of spring onion. Bring it to a boil.

3. Let it boil for couple of minutes. Add white pepper, salt, and soy sauce. 

4. Add slowly the corn starch mixture to boiling soup. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.

5.  Reduce the heat and now hold the bowl of beaten eggs several inches  from the soup pot. Pour eggs in a very slow and thin stream into the boiling mixture, and at the same time stirring gently with a fork or with a pair of chopsticks in one direction.  ( This is the tricky part to make this soup, and this way the silky egg strands will be formed. Do not pour egg too fast or too much quantity )

6. Switch off the gas and pour it into bowls. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot.