The Everything Chinese Cookbook (17 page)

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons water

2 eggs whites, lightly beaten

2 green onions, sliced

1. Cut the chicken into chunks and place in a food processor. Add the water and 1 teaspoon rice wine, and mince the chicken into a fine paste.
   
2. Bring the broth or stock to a boil. Add the salt, white pepper, 1 teaspoon rice wine, and creamed corn. Add the chicken paste, stirring so that the chicken breaks up into small pieces. Cook until the chicken turns white.
   
3. Mix the cornstarch and water, and pour the mixture into the soup, stirring to thicken. Turn off the heat.
   
4. Pour the eggs into the soup in a steady stream, and quickly stir in a clockwise direction until they form thin shreds.
   
5. Add the green onions and give the soup a final stir.
   

4 cups beef broth

2 medium tomatoes

teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 tablespoons water

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 green onions, minced

A few drops of sesame oil

1. Bring the 4 cups of beef broth to a boil.
   
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes briefly in the boiling water. (This will make it easier to remove the peel.) Peel the tomatoes and cut each into 6 equal pieces.
   
3. When the beef broth comes to a boil, add the white pepper, salt, sugar, rice wine, and tomatoes. Bring the broth back to boiling.
   
4. Mix the cornstarch and water, and pour it into the soup, stirring to thicken. Turn off the heat.
   
5. Pour the egg white into the soup and quickly stir in a clockwise direction to form thin shreds.
   
6. Add the green onions and a few drops of sesame oil. Give the soup a final stir.
   

Cholesterol Concerns

Using egg whites instead of eggs in the Egg Drop Soup–type recipes helps reduce the amount of cholesterol. Another option is to forego the egg altogether — heartier soups such as Chicken Velvet Soup taste fine without it.

2 Chinese dried mushrooms

1 pound winter melon

3½ cups water

2½ cups chicken stock or 1 cup chicken broth mixed with 1½ cups water

½ cup barbequed pork, diced

2 slices ginger

1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 pinch salt

1. Cut the stems off the dried mushrooms and soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Give the mushrooms a little squeeze to remove excess water and cut into thin slices.
   
2. Wash the winter melon and remove the green rind, seeds, and the pulp. Cut into slices approximately 2 inches long and ½ inch thick. In a large saucepan, add the winter melon to 3½ cups water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the melon is tender.
   
3. Add the chicken stock or chicken broth and water mixture, barbequed pork, dried mushrooms, and ginger.
   
4. Add the rice wine and salt. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve hot. Leave the ginger slices in or remove as desired.
   

Drink Your Soup!

The Chinese believe that cold drinks and hot food don't mix, so soup normally takes the place of a beverage at meals. It's customary in Chinese restaurants for the waitress to bring a steaming pot of tea as soon as you're seated, but traditionally tea was looked upon as a digestive aid, to be consumed at the conclusion of a meal.

1 cucumber

4 shiitake mushrooms

1 carrot, diced

½ cup cooked ham, diced

1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

teaspoon salt

4 cups chicken broth

1 green onion, minced

A few drops sesame oil

1. Peel the cucumber, remove the seeds, and dice. Wash the shiitake mushrooms and cut into thin slices.
   
2. In a large saucepan, add the cucumber, mushrooms, diced carrot, diced ham, rice wine, and salt to the chicken broth.
   
3. Bring the soup to a boil and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes.
   
4. Turn off the heat and add the green onion. Drizzle with the sesame oil.