蛋花汤 (Dàn Huā Tāng)
Egg Drop Soup – The 5-Minute Chinese Comfort Food
Why This Recipe Works
- 5 minutes, 4 ingredients. This is what you make when you're hungry NOW.
- The secret to silky egg ribbons: pour the egg in a thin stream while stirring in ONE direction.
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient | Notes | Substitute |
|---|---|---|---|
| 960 ml (4 cups) | chicken broth鸡汤 | — | vegetable broth |
| 3.0 large | eggs鸡蛋 | beaten with 1 tsp water | — |
| 15 g (2 tbsp) | cornstarch玉米淀粉 | mixed with 3 tbsp cold water | — |
| 0.50 g (1/4 tsp) | white pepper白胡椒粉 | — | — |
| 3.0 ml (1/2 tsp) | sesame oil香油 | — | — |
Instructions
Heat broth(2 min)
Bring chicken broth to a gentle boil in a pot. Add white pepper. Stir in cornstarch slurry — this is what gives the soup its silky body.
Add eggs(1 min)
Reduce heat to low. Stir the soup in ONE direction (clockwise). Slowly drizzle beaten egg in a THIN stream. The egg will form silky ribbons instantly.
Pro Tip
One direction + thin stream = perfect egg ribbons. Zigzag pouring = egg bits.
Finish(1 min)
Turn off heat. Add sesame oil. Taste and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chopped green onion if you have it.
Pro Tips for Western Kitchens
Add 1/4 tsp ground turmeric for that restaurant-yellow color (purely cosmetic, but it looks great).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my egg turn into clumps instead of ribbons?
Two reasons: (1) You poured too fast — slow, thin stream is key. (2) The soup was boiling too hard — reduce to a gentle simmer before adding egg.
Nutrition
Per serving (approximate values)