Asian Egg Drop Soup
Difficulty Level Easy
Earlier this week, we had one of those cold rainy days that makes you want to make soup. I really didn't feel like braving the elements, so I had to come up with something that I could make from the ingredients I had on hand. I was pretty low in the fresh vegetable department, but I had eggs. I could have made a frittata or scrambled eggs, but I really wanted the kind of warmth that you only get from soup.
I was thinking about making the classic Italian Stracciatella, but it seemed lighter than I was in the mood for. I found this recipe for Asian Egg Drop soup which included noodles, making it a bit more substantial for a meal. I had a bit of chicken left over from the Miso Chicken I made the night before, so I tossed that in as well.If you've got the chicken stock on hand this soup takes about 10 minutes to make and it's quite delicious.
INGREDIENTS
| 5 cups | chicken or vegetable stock |
| 1 teaspoon | soy sauce |
| 2 tablespoons | medium-dry Sherry |
| 1 piece | fresh ginger, thinly sliced (2-inch) |
| 1 | garlic clove, smashed |
| 1 cup | dried fine egg noodles (1 oz) |
| 2 | large eggs, lightly beaten |
| 1 to 2 | scallions, thinly sliced |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | Asian sesame oil, or to taste |
PREPARATION:
- Bring stock, soy sauce, Sherry, ginger, and garlic to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan.
- Remove ginger and garlic with a slotted spoon and discard. Stir in noodles and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 4 minutes.
- Stirring soup in a circular motion, add eggs in a slow, steady stream. Simmer, undisturbed, until strands of egg are cooked, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in scallions (to taste) and sesame oil. Season with salt.
From Gourmet, February 2002.