I have to admit, although I love the challenge of creating heart-healthy recipes, Egg Drop Soup is one of my guilty pleasures. From a young age, I have always ordered Egg Drop Soup while in a Chinese restaurant. Since I came from a smaller town in the Midwest though, my addiction was not fed upon often. Therefore at a younger age, I learned how to make my own Chinese Egg Drop soup so that a trip to the Chinese restaurant was not needed.
Sure, there are mixes that can be purchased at most grocery stores, I have found that the sodium content is rather high and takes over the smooth creamy texture that is usually found in homemade soups though. Then, while living in Japan, I enhanced my soup recipe to adapt the more traditional Asian flavors with “dashi. Yes, Egg Drop soup is traditionally Chinese however the Japanese soup base matched the flavors perfectly. Although my adolescent recipe was sufficient to supply to my addiction, this Japanese influenced recipe is much better than any other soup that I have come across in America.
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups dashi*
¾ tsp salt
2 tsp soy sauce
Starch mixture:
– 2 tbsp cornstarch
-2 tbsp water
1 tsp fresh ginger juice (optional)
2 eggs
*Dashi is a Japanese soup base that can be purchase in most grocery stores today, even Wal-Mart.
1. Mix together all the ingredients of the starch mixture. The cornstarch is commonly used to thicken up the soup base and make the creamy smooth texture that the soup is most commonly loved for.
2. Beat the two eggs lightly. Set aside for a few moments.
3. In a medium sized soup pot, mix together the dashi, salt and light soy sauce. Place on the stove and bring to a gentle boil.
4. Add the starch mixture and whisk until it gradually thickens. You do not have to whisk the entire time however I like to do so just to make my family members think I am taking a lot of work to make the soup.
5. Once it has thickened, turn down the heat so there is no rolling boil. Swirl in the beaten egg a little at a time. Do not dump the entire egg in at once, it will result in large egg clumps and does not give off the best taste. Stir lightly so that the soup base gets part of the egg flavor.
6. Add the ginger juice and turn off the heat.
This is a rather easy recipe and takes very little time. It will serve around 4 people or 2 people for a full meal. It can be doubled also for serving larger crowds. It is not recommended to make this soup ahead or to save it in the refrigerator. Re-heating does not contain the same flavor as fresh egg drop soup. As for the ingredients, please feel free to add anything that you would like. Sometimes I add a few shredded vegetables such as carrots, onions and peas to make a full meal of the soup. It just depends on your own flavors.
