Egg Drop Soup

Egg drop soup depends on a well-seasoned, properly thickened broth. Chicken stock is seasoned with soy sauce, white pepper, and a small amount of sesame oil, then thickened lightly with a cornstarch slurry. The cornstarch gives the broth enough body to catch and suspend the egg strands rather than letting them sink. The egg goes in beaten, poured through a fork or chopsticks held just above the surface of the simmering broth, while the broth is being stirred in a slow, single-direction circle. The strands set almost immediately on contact with the hot liquid. The stirring motion separates the threads and keeps them from clumping into a solid mass. The broth must be simmering, not at a rolling boil, which would break the egg into foam. The egg thickens the soup slightly and adds richness, but the primary texture contribution is those silky, soft ribbons distributed throughout the bowl. Quality of the broth determines quality of the soup.