I made this soup with bits and pieces from the fridge. I wasn’t planning on posting any recipe so I didn’t bother taking step-by-step photos.
But the soup turned out so well that I changed my mind about writing a recipe for it. And never mind the lack of step-by-step photos. The cooking process is so simple that a visual illustration is simply unnecessary.
Bok choy stalks are used here. The leaves were saved for another dish. It is up to you whether to use the stalks only or include the leaves. Just note that the stalks will need a longer cooking time. For more about bok choy, see the linked post below.
How to cook Chinese cabbage
When a recipe calls for “Chinese cabbage”, what exactly should you buy and use for the dish? Here’s a practical guide.
What mushroom is recommended? I used fresh brown button mushrooms but just about any variety will work. Shiitake or shimeji should be especially good. If you plan to use dried shiitake, check out the guide for rehydrating.
How to rehydrate dried mushrooms
Yes, you just soak them in water. But what should be the temperature of the water? And how long do they need to soak? How do you know when they are sufficiently rehydrated?
What about the broth? What kind of broth is best? Well, let’s see… if you regularly make broth and you keep containers of the stuff in your freezer then, by all means, use it. Nothing is better than homemade bone broth. If you need a guide, see how I make chicken bone broth.
How to make chicken bone broth
Nothing beats the richness and flavor of homemade chicken bone broth. I make it with soup bones, divide it into portions and freeze until needed.
With all those guides to help you with the very few ingredients in this recipe, let’s look at how fast and easy it is to make the soup.
Bok choy and mushroom egg drop soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 200 grams button mushrooms thinly sliced
- 4 to 6 cups chicken bone broth or use vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in two tablespoons of water
- 2 cups bok choy stalks cut into two-inch pieces
- salt
- pepper
- 2 large eggs beaten
Instructions
- Heat the cooking oil in a pot.
- Over medium heat, cook the mushrooms slices with plenty of stirring until lightly browned.
- Pour in the broth followed by the starch solution, stir well and bring to the boil.
- When the broth is no longer cloudy, stir in the bok choy stalks.
- Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer for five minutes.
- Taste the broth, and stir in salt and pepper, as needed.
- Turn off the heat and pour the beaten eggs in a thin steam over the surface of the soup. Leave for a few seconds before stirring.
