Seaweed Egg Drop Soup (紫菜蛋花汤)

紫菜蛋花汤

Seaweed Egg Drop Soup (紫菜蛋花汤) — Home-styleNorthern China home cooking.

Ingredients

• dried seaweed (zicai / laver sheets)
• eggs, beaten
• toasted sesame oil
• light soy sauce
• scallion, finely chopped (garnish)
• hot water or chicken broth
• salt
• white pepper

Instructions

1. Rehydrate the dried seaweed in a bowl of warm water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and tear into bite-sized pieces if needed. (Seaweed softens and expands, turning dark green)
2. Bring water or broth to a rolling boil in a pot. Season with soy sauce, salt, and white pepper. (Broth is at a vigorous boil with large bubbles breaking the surface)
3. Add the drained seaweed to the boiling broth. Cook for 30 seconds — seaweed only needs to heat through. (Seaweed floats and swirls in the broth, releasing ocean aroma)
4. Reduce heat to medium-low so the broth is just simmering. Slowly drizzle the beaten eggs in a thin stream while gently stirring in one direction. (Eggs form long, delicate ribbons and clouds in the broth)
5. Immediately remove from heat. Drizzle with sesame oil, garnish with chopped scallions. Serve hot. (Sesame oil glistens on the surface, scallions bright green, egg ribbons floating)