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Egg Drop Soup

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on February 10, 2012

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients

2 quarts Chicken Stock with Ginger and Scallions or Improved Canned Chicken Broth with Ginger and Scallions (see note)1 tablespoon soy sauce Salt 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 medium scallions, chopped fine2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, minced4 large eggs, beaten

Before You Begin

Timing is essential in this recipe. Because the cornstarch will lose its thickening power if simmered too long, the remaining ingredients must be added quickly once the cornstarch goes into the pot. Use Chicken Stock with Ginger and Scallions or Improved Canned Chicken Broth with Ginger and Scallions in this recipe. Egg drop soup will not hold and should be served immediately.

Instructions

  1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the soy sauce and salt to taste.
  2. Combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the stock until it thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in the scallions and cilantro.
  3. Whisk the stock so that it is moving in a ­circle. Keep whisking as you pour the eggs into the stock in a slow, steady stream so that ribbons of ­coagulated egg form, about 1 minute. Let the eggs stand in the stock without mixing until they are set, less than 1 minute. Once they have set, break up the egg ribbons with a fork. Serve ­immediately.
Egg Drop Soup

Egg Drop Soup

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 quarts Chicken Stock with Ginger and Scallions or Improved Canned Chicken Broth with Ginger and Scallions (see note)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 medium scallions, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, minced
4 large eggs, beaten

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 quarts Chicken Stock with Ginger and Scallions or Improved Canned Chicken Broth with Ginger and Scallions (see note)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 medium scallions, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, minced
4 large eggs, beaten

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 quarts Chicken Stock with Ginger and Scallions or Improved Canned Chicken Broth with Ginger and Scallions (see note)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 medium scallions, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, minced
4 large eggs, beaten

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

For our egg drop soup recipe, we found it best to add the eggs slowly—the process took almost a minute—and then let them cook for another 30 or 60 seconds, undisturbed, to ensure they were fully set. The texture of egg drop soup is important; ribbons of egg will fall to the bottom of a bowl of thin, brothy soup. We found that 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in our egg drop soup recipe (dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water) thickened 2 quarts of stock sufficiently to suspend the ribbons of eggs.

Before You Begin

Timing is essential in this recipe. Because the cornstarch will lose its thickening power if simmered too long, the remaining ingredients must be added quickly once the cornstarch goes into the pot. Use Chicken Stock with Ginger and Scallions or Improved Canned Chicken Broth with Ginger and Scallions in this recipe. Egg drop soup will not hold and should be served immediately.

Instructions

  1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the soy sauce and salt to taste.
  2. Combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the stock until it thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in the scallions and cilantro.
  3. Whisk the stock so that it is moving in a ­circle. Keep whisking as you pour the eggs into the stock in a slow, steady stream so that ribbons of ­coagulated egg form, about 1 minute. Let the eggs stand in the stock without mixing until they are set, less than 1 minute. Once they have set, break up the egg ribbons with a fork. Serve ­immediately.

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