I was first introduced to egg drop soup, also known as egg flower soup, when I was very young. Every once in a while my father would make it for lunch. It was especially good on a cold wintry afternoon. When I was old enough he taught me the basics of this broth, which I’ve adapted to create my own version.

Basic egg drop soup is comprised of wonderful light thin strands of egg in a chicken broth base. Almost any vegetable or spice can be added to this basic soup to give it more flavor and texture. Therefore, if you search for an egg drop soup recipe, you will find hundreds of variations on this warm and delicious dish. The recipe below is my variation which has come about from endless experimentation. Following this recipe is a list of additional ingredients that you may want to add to create your own version. Try this recipe and then experiment with different combinations of spices and vegetables until you find the perfect blend for you. Let me know what you think in the Chinese food forum. Enjoy!

5 dried wood ear or cloud ear mushrooms
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 medium eggs
3 ½ cups chicken broth
2 tbsp sherry
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp garlic salt
1 tsp sesame oil

1. Place the mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for 30 minutes. Once they have soaked, cut them into small thin strips and set them aside.


2. In a small cup, mix the cornstarch with just a little water so that it dissolves, and set it aside.


3. Crack the eggs in a small bowl and lightly beat them.


4. In a large pot combine the chicken broth, sherry, white pepper, garlic salt, and sesame oil. Heat the pot on high and bring the broth to a boil.


5. Once the broth boils, add the cornstarch and stir until mixed thoroughly, then turn the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.


6. After 5 minutes, begin stirring the soup in one direction so that a whirl pool is created. Once you create a steady whirl pool, turn off the heat.


7. Next you want to pour in the egg into the side of the whirl pool so that it is immediately stirred into the soup. Do this by slowly pouring a tiny thin stream of egg from the bowl through a pair of chopsticks into the side of the whirlpool. Use the chopsticks to control the thickness of the stream of egg. This may seem difficult at first, but it is actually quite simple. If you have trouble using chopsticks, you can pour the egg through a fork. Basically the goal is to create the very thin light strands of egg that are found in most restaurant style egg drop soups. While doing this, if the whirlpool slows or stops, simply stir with the chopsticks or fork. Alternatively, if you do not mind thicker strands of egg, simply pour the egg in a thin strand from the bowl while stirring the soup.


8. Remove from heat and serve. Makes about 5 servings.

Additional Ingredients to Experiment with:
napa cabbage
bok choy
shredded carrots
bagged shredded coleslaw
tomatos
green onion
bamboo
straw mushrooms
black pepper
baby corn
peas
pork or chicken
soy sauce
5 spice powder
hot chili garlic sauce
garlic
vinegar