Description
The beauty of this soup is its simplicity. The flavor comes from a few high-impact pantry staples. In just 15 minutes, you can create a savory, nourishing, and impressive “egg flower soup” that tastes just like the restaurant version. It’s the ultimate quick and comforting soup.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 cups (about 1 liter) Chicken Stock
- 1/2 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon White Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric (or 5 drops yellow food coloring) (Optional)
- 3 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1/3 cup Cold Water
- 3 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 Scallion (Green Onion), finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG (Optional)
Instructions
- Simmer and Season the Broth: Pour the 4 cups of chicken stock into a medium soup pot and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the sesame oil, salt, sugar, white pepper, and optional MSG.
- Add the optional turmeric or food coloring. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Thicken with the Cornstarch Slurry: In a small, separate bowl, whisk the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/3 cup of cold water together until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.
- While stirring the simmering soup, slowly drizzle in the cornstarch slurry. Continue to stir constantly as you pour to prevent clumps. Let the soup simmer for another 1-2 minutes as the broth thickens into a silky consistency.
- Create the Egg Flower Ribbons: Use a ladle or spoon to stir the thickened soup in a steady circular motion, creating a gentle whirlpool.
- While the soup is swirling, slowly drizzle the lightly beaten eggs into the pot in a very thin stream. The motion of the soup will instantly cook the eggs into delicate, wispy ribbons.
- Garnish and Serve Immediately: Turn off the heat. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with a generous sprinkle of freshly chopped scallions. Serve immediately.
Notes
- White Pepper: This is a key ingredient for authentic restaurant flavor. It has a different, more earthy heat than black pepper.
- Cornstarch Slurry: Cornstarch settles very quickly, so make sure to give your slurry a final, vigorous re-mix right before you pour it into the pot.
- Egg Ribbons: The recipe calls for lightly beaten eggs. This is intentional! Leaving the yolks and whites slightly distinct is what gives you those beautiful swirls of both yellow and white in the final soup.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Soup, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1 cup)
- Calories: 105 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
