← Nouns Cooking · Chinese

Ingredients

• 1 l vegetable or chicken stock
• 10 g dried laver (zicai) or 2 sheets of nori, torn into pieces
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 Tomato, cut into thin wedges (optional)
• 1 tbsp dried shrimp, rinsed (optional)
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ¼ tsp White pepper
• 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil
• 1 Spring onion, thinly sliced

Method

1. Bring the stock to the boil in a pan with the tomato and dried shrimp (if using), and simmer for 3 min.
2. Add the seaweed and stir; it will soften and spread out in about 30 seconds.
3. Turn the heat to low so the soup barely moves. Pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream while slowly stirring in one direction, then leave it for 10 seconds to set into ribbons.
4. Season with the salt and white pepper, then drizzle over the sesame oil and scatter with spring onion. Serve straight away.

Tips

• Dried shrimp make it richer but mean it is no longer vegetarian. Use a gluten-free stock if you need the soup gluten-free.
• Zicai is sold in round dried cakes at Chinese grocers; Japanese nori works too, but use less as it is thinner.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Taste of Asian Food Christine's Recipes Red House Spice