Chinese soups such as egg drop, hot and sour, and chicken and corn all have one luxurious thing in common.
Egg ribbons.
When done right, they’re a mouthful of silky, delicate goodness.
But they can be done wrong. Quickly dump in a whisked egg and all you’re left with is a pile of scrambled egg mush.
The key is to take your time . . .
. . . and make a cornstarch slurry.
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Kevin Pang and his dad Jeffrey, from our popular YouTube series Hunger Pangs, explain it best. Combine ½ teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of water and whisk in one whole egg.
The cornstarch slurry acts as a thickener, providing more structure to the egg. That way your ribbons stay intact once added to the soup.
A Very Chinese Cookbook
Equally happy cooking American Chinese takeout or Sichuan banquet fare, James Beard Award- winning writer Kevin Pang and his father Jeffrey offer a wide-ranging and affectionately irreverent look at Chinese cooking.
Buy NowOnce you’ve made your egg mixture, just follow these steps.
- Turn off the heat.
- Slowly drizzle in your egg mixture with a soup spoon in a circular motion.
- Let it sit for one minute.
- Stir to break up your glorious egg ribbons.
Watch this video from Hunger Pangs to see just how it’s done.
