Egg Drop Soup

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare everything before heating: slice the ginger thinly, slice the scallions, beat the eggs thoroughly in a bowl until the whites and yolks are fully combined, and mix the cornstarch with the cold water into a smooth slurry with no lumps.

   10 g fresh ginger, thinly sliced20 g scallions, thinly sliced2 large eggs8 g cornstarch20 ml cold water
2. 2

   Pour the chicken broth into a small saucepan and add the ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer for about 2 minutes so the ginger lightly perfumes the broth.

   700 ml chicken broth10 g fresh ginger, thinly sliced10 ml light soy sauce5 ml toasted sesame oil0.5 g white pepper1 g fine salt
3. 3

   Stir the slurry again just before using, then pour it slowly into the simmering broth while stirring. Simmer for 30-60 seconds until the soup is just lightly thickened; it should still be fluid, not gloopy.

   8 g cornstarch20 ml cold water
4. 4

   Lower the heat so the soup is barely simmering. Stir the broth in one direction to create a gentle whirlpool, then slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs in a thin stream. Stop stirring for a few seconds to let delicate ribbons form, then give one gentle stir if you want shorter strands.

   2 large eggs
5. 5

   Turn off the heat, remove and discard the ginger slices if you prefer a cleaner texture, then stir in most of the scallions. Ladle into bowls, top with the remaining scallions, and serve immediately while hot.

   10 g fresh ginger, thinly sliced20 g scallions, thinly sliced

Origin & History

Egg drop soup, known in Chinese as dan hua tang, is a simple home-style soup found in many regional Chinese kitchens. Its defining technique is streaming beaten egg into hot broth to create delicate “egg flowers,” a method valued for speed, frugality, and comforting texture.