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Zicai dan hua tang
Seaweed egg drop soup
Zǐcài dànhuā tāng (紫菜蛋花汤): quick seaweed and egg-drop soup with spring onion
Zicai dan hua tang is the soup that a busy Chinese home cook can make while the rice is cooking: dried laver seaweed, which dissolves into silky dark green ribbons, and egg swirled into simmering water seasoned with a little soy, white pepper and sesame oil. It is on canteen trays in every Chinese university and on family tables across the country. Many cooks add a few dried shrimp; this vegetarian version leaves them out and uses a pinch of mushroom powder or vegetable stock instead. Eggs are an allergen. A bowl is about 50 kcal. The common mistake is stirring as soon as the egg goes in, which makes it cloudy; wait 10 seconds so it sets into flowers. Chef's tip: tear the seaweed into the bowls, not the pot, and pour the hot soup over; it stays tender and doesn't overcook.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 ¼ cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ¼ tsp saltto taste
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ¼ oz dried laver seaweed (zicai)torn into pieces
- 2 eggsbeaten
- 2 spring onionssliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Bring 4 ¼ cups water or vegetable stock to the boil and season with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground white pepper.
5 minStep 2: Divide ¼ oz dried laver seaweed (zicai) between 4 bowls.
Step 3: With the soup at a gentle boil, pour in 2 eggs in a thin stream from a height, moving round the pot. Wait 10 seconds, then stir once so the egg spreads into soft flowers.
1 minStep 4: Ladle the soup over the seaweed, add 2 spring onions and a few drops of 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 50 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zicai dan hua tang take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 7 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of water or vegetable stock?
- Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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