This tomato egg drop soup is a 15 minute recipe I grew up eating at home in Beijing. I saute tomatoes with garlic and ginger, simmer them in chicken broth, then swirl in beaten eggs to create silky ribbons. It is a soup I love making for my family because it is satisfying, comforting, and goes with almost everything.
Ingredients
Slurry
1/4teaspoonwhite pepper powder
1/4teaspoonsalt(or to taste)
4teaspoonscornstarch
Soup
2teaspoonspeanut oil(or vegetable oil)
2clovesgarlic, minced
1sliceginger
4cupschicken broth
2medium-sizedtomatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces
3green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated
To make the slurry: Combine the cornstarch, white pepper, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved.
To make the soup: Heat oil in a small pot over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook and stir for 30 seconds to release the fragrance.
Add the tomato and white part of the green onion. Cook until the tomato is blistered, 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth. Cook over medium-high heat until brought to a boil. Turn to a low heat and let the soup reduce to a simmer.
Stir the slurry again to dissolve the cornstarch. Swirl it into the soup and mix well with a spatula. The soup will thicken up once it reaches a simmer. If you prefer a thicker soup, you can mix more cornstarch with water and add it to the soup, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water at a time.
To add the eggs, hold a fork (or two chopsticks slightly apart) across the edge of the egg bowl, and drizzle the egg mixture slowly through the gaps into the soup. Let the eggs set for a few seconds, then stir gently to break up the egg into desired sized pieces.
Drizzle sesame oil and sprinkle with the green part of the green onion. Serve hot.