Egg Drop Soup

Wish all my readers a very happy new year and hope 2014 will fulfill all your dreams and ambitions. I am back after a long break. We spent a very relaxed and warm year-end vacation in the midst of beautiful and sunny San Diego weather. It’s so hard to imagine 70 F temperature and people going to beaches in the last week of December. So only way to feel the cold and snow was to visit nearby mountain tops like big bears. It was so refreshing to see snows on the road while driving. My kid had a nice skiing experience for the first time. Like every other years, we celebrated 31^st night at residence of our family friend with other members from Bengali community. It was great fun with authentic Indian food and music.

But eventually I had to be back to my old routine and so started preparing myself for new blog post. I was searching for some quick and easy recipe that would be perfect to start the New Year. During the vacation, we tried out different Chinese cousins and today’s idea is influenced by those experiences. Today I will share the recipe of a soup, which is favorite not only at my family, but probably to most of the people who likes soups. It’s called Egg Drop Soup. This is the most soothing and comforting dish that needs only three basic ingredients. It is very simple, flavorful and a healthy choice, if you are looking for a lighter soup. It takes only 15 minutes to be on the table from oven. 

It is a Chinese Soup of beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth. The chicken broth is seasoned with white pepper and soy sauce. It is finished by adding a thin stream of beaten eggs to the boiling broth. Once it’s done thin and silken threads of cooked egg floats in the soup. You can add your choice of vegetables in the broth that makes the soup healthier! A warm bowl of protein and vegetables give you that feel good factor at any time. I am sure that it will slowly become everybody’s favorite in your home and then regular refreshment in the evening.

This is my version of Egg Drop Soup. I have no idea how to make the authentic one. But this one is based on the tastes that we used to have American Chinese or Indo-Chinese restaurants. 

Recipe of Egg Drop Soup : Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients :

Chicken Stock  / vegetable stock : 2 cups and half cup

Corn Starch : 1 and half tablespoon 

Water : 3 tablespoon 

Light Soy Sauce : 1/2 tsp 

White pepper powder ( ground ) : as per taste

Salt :  to taste 

Egg : 2 lightly beaten 

Spring onion or green onion : ( a handful ) finely chopped ( keep the green part and white part separately). 

Vegetables : I used finely sliced carrot ( a handful ), you can use mushroom / bean sprout / celery / tomato / tofu.

Method :

1. In a small bowl, mix the corn starch with the water. Stir it well to blend and set aside. 

2. Take a medium sized soup pot, pour the stock or broth and add vegetable and the white part of spring onion. Bring it to a boil.

3. Let it boil for couple of minutes. Add white pepper, salt, and soy sauce. 

4. Add slowly the corn starch mixture to boiling soup. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.

5.  Reduce the heat and now hold the bowl of beaten eggs several inches  from the soup pot. Pour eggs in a very slow and thin stream into the boiling mixture, and at the same time stirring gently with a fork or with a pair of chopsticks in one direction.  ( This is the tricky part to make this soup, and this way the silky egg strands will be formed. Do not pour egg too fast or too much quantity )

6. Switch off the gas and pour it into bowls. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot. 

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Chow Mein ( Chinese Stir-fried Mixed Noodles )

It is a popular Chinese Noodle meal. Chinese Noodles are versatile, available in so many different forms - Stir-fry, pan-fry, boil, soup, gravy, or dry. Chow Mein is one of them which is fried noodles. My version of Chow Mein or  Mixed Noodles, is always cooked with choice of  shredded vegetables, egg and shredded chicken. It is quick and really super easy to make and end results is always pleasing. One dish is itself a complete meal. Most of the time I miss to add the shrimps / prawns, but if you wish, may add it. It would give some extra flavor.

When I was in School, my mom used to make Chow Mein for me in a pure Bengali way where you will find some pieces of potato too, but no soy-sauce and still it was real yummy. I will share that recipe too sometimes later. But When I came to Bangalore, our cook introduced to me some of the Chinese dishes and this is one of them. I must admit that he used to cook Chinese very well, though he was pretty bad in Bengali dishes. I used to get the same taste as it is from the well known Chinese restaurant of Calcutta. So I am following the same recipe from that time. You can serve it with any other Chines side dish. Sometimes on a busy day, we have it without any side dish. Sometimes I give it in my kid's lunch box. Most of the Kids would love this dish.

Recipe of  Chow Mein or Chinese Mixed Noodles :  Serves 2 to 3 people

Ingredients:

1.     Noodles : around 200 gm 

2.     Mixed vegetables  : as per your choice ( 1 cup ) I used carrot, green pepper and cabbage. 

3.     Egg : 2 nos

4.     Chicken : 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup (preferably boneless breast pieces, cooked and shredded)

5.     Shrimp / Prawns : cooked (small sized) ( optional )  

6.     Spring onion : 1/4 cup (chopped) for garnishing

7.     Onion : a small one (finely chopped)

8.     Ginger : 1 tsp (crushed or minced) 

9.     Garlic : 3-4 cloves (minced)

10.  Pepper powder (as per your taste) 

11.  Soy sauce : 2 tbsp or more if you like (add 1/2 tbsp at a time and check seasoning) 

12.  Oil - 3-4 tbsp

13.  Sesame oil - few drops

14. Salt - little  (as Soy sauce contains sodium)

Method : 

1.     Cook the noodle as per the instruction. When you will cook it just add few drops of oil with the boiling water. This helps to prevent sticky noodles, stir it in every few minutes.

2.     Do not over-cook it. When it is done, put it in a strainer, drain the extra water, and hold it under some running cold water for few minutes and keep it aside.

3.     Cut the vegetables into long thin stripes. Put oil in a wok, once oil is ready, make the omelet and once it is ready cut into long stripes and keep it aside.

4.     In the same wok add some more oil, heat it up, add the chopped onion, saute it till it gets soft, add the garlic and ginger.

5.     Keep stirring still they are aromatic. Add the vegetables, fry it for 5 to 7 minutes, add the boiled and shredded chicken.

6.     If you want to add shrimp at this point. Give some good stirs and add salt and pepper.

7.      Add the noodles, add the eggs. Stir it and mix it nicely, add the soy sauce. Mix it well. Check the seasoning, and adjust it accordingly.

8.     Yes It is almost done. Just before turning off the gas add some few drops of sesame oil. Garnish with some chopped spring onion and serve hot.

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Mushroom-chicken

Mushroom - Chicken, the name itself says all about itself. It is a Chinese preparation and one of our favorite dishes from well-known chain Panda-Express. My little one is a big fan of Chinese cuisine like his parents. When he finds his favorite food, he doesn't need any help in eating. He loves to enjoy different type of food instead of day to day food like 'rice- daal - sabjji'. These days it's not too hard to get recipes of any dish but I always follow any tried and tasted recipes. Rasamalasia is one of my favorite sites for any Chinese recipe.

Mushroom-Chicken is very simple and easy to make dish. Most of the ingredients are very common except that Shaoxing wine, which is basically a rice wine. It is generally used in Chinese cooking, which has a very unique, distinct taste. If you love Chinese food, I will suggest you to keep it in your kitchen, otherwise white vinegar or grape juice can be its substitute. 

Recipe of Mushroom-Chicken : Serves - 4 to 5 

Ingredients :

Boneless and skinless chicken breast or thigh - 1 lb or 450 gm ( approx)  cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes

Mushroom - 1/2 lb or 250 gm (approx) cut into halves

Zucchini - 1 lb  or 450 gm cut into pieces

Corn starch - 2 tsp

Shaoxing wine - 2 tsp

Oil - 4 tbsp

Grated Ginger - 1 tbsp

Garlic - 1 tbsp

Sauces :

Soy Sauce - 2  tbsp

Oyster Sauce - 2 tbsp

Sugar - 2 tsp

White Pepper powder - 6 dashes or as per the taste

Sesame oil - 1/4 tsp

Salt - as per the taste

Water - 4 tbsp

Corn starch - 2 tsp to thicken the sauce.

Method :

1. Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towel. Marinade them with wine and corn starch. Keep it  aside for 15 minutes.

2. Mix  the ingredients for sauce and set aside.

3. Cut and wash the mushrooms and zucchini.

4. Heat up a wok or a big pan, add oil. Once the oil is ready add ginger and garlic. Saute until they get aromatic.

5. Add the chicken into pan and stir it till the chicken is half-cooked.

6. Add mushrooms and zucchini into the wok / pan and stir it until they have become soft.

7. Add the sauce, and give a few stirs till the sauce nicely coat the chicken, mushrooms and zucchini. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the whole things are well-cooked. 

8. Serve hot with steamed rice or fried rice or noodles ( click here for recipe ).

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