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Japanese Egg Drop Soup

Recipe by Connie Veneracion
Mushrooms, seaweed or other vegetables can be added to the basic Japanese egg drop soup. If adding anything that requires lengthy cooking, precook it before adding to the dashi.
And, as with any egg drop soup, a little cornstarch dispersed in water (some call it "slurry" but I really loathe that term) is stirred into the broth to thicken it a bit. A slightly thickened broth allows the egg clouds to remain suspended near the surface instead of sinking to the bottom.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Soaking time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4 people
Japanese egg drop soup in traditional stoneware bowl

Ingredients
  

Video

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Instructions
 

  • Pour six cups of water into a pot and add the kombu and bonito flakes.
    Making dashi with kombu and bonito flakes
  • Bring to the boil, simmer for five minutes then turn off the heat. Leave to steep for 10 to 15 minutes then strain.
  • Pour the strained liquid (that's your dashi) into a clean pot.
  • Turn on the stove and pour in the soy sauce. Taste and add as much salt is needed to get a good flavor.
    Seasoning broth with soy sauce
  • If you're adding extra ingredients to your egg drop soup (mushrooms, seaweeds or vegetables), add them now.
  • Stir in the starch solution. The broth will appear cloudy but, as it heats up, it will turn clear again.
    Thickening broth with cornstarch
  • Simmer the broth for about five minutes then turn off the heat.
  • Pour the beaten eggs in a thin stream over the entire surface of the broth.
    Pouring beaten eggs in hot broth
  • Leave to let the eggs cook in the broth before stirring gently.
  • Ladle your Japanese egg drop soup into bowls, sprinkle in scallions and serve.
    Japanese egg drop soup with scallions
Keyword Dashi, egg drop soup, Soup