On Wed, 12 Jul 2006 21:46:51 GMT, "Muddle"
> wrote:

>
>"Duckie ®" > wrote in message
.. .
>> Egg-Drop Soup
>>
>> Ingredients:
>>
>> 2 eggs, beaten
>> 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
>> 5 tbsp wood ears, soaked
>> 2 cups (500 ml) clear stock
>> 2 oz (50 g) hearts of Chinese cabbages
>> 3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
>> 2 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
>> 1/4 tsp MSG (optional)
>>
>> Directions:
>>
>> Wash and slice the wood ears and cabbage hearts.
>>
>> Heat 2 1/2 tbsp of the vegetable oil or lard in a wok. Add the eggs
>> and fry until
>> browned on both sides. Remove and cut into small pieces. Set aside.
>> Pour the
>> stock into the wok and add the salt, wood ears, cabbage hearts, eggs,
>> and MSG
>> (optional). Bring to a boil and let boil 1 minute. Sprinkle with the
>> 1/2 tbsp sesame
>> oil, and serve.
>>
>>
>> ~~
>>
>> MySpace URL:
>>
>> http://www.myspace.com/duckie067
>
>My wife and son like egg drop soup, however I like hot and sour soup. One
>thing I've noticed is none of the ethnic dining establishments in this area
>seem to make anything properly. For instance the Egg-Drop Soup, sold by
>every dining establishment via all you can eat buffets in this area, has
>neither wood ears (a type of mushroom) or any kind of cabbage whatsoever.
>None of the dining establishments in this corner of the world seem to make
>Hot and Sour Soup properly either as they rarely incorporate any of the
>ingredients I see in online recipes. For instance this recipe fails to
>suggest a thickening agent used to take any stock to a creamy coating the
>back of a spoon liquid other than copious amounts of rendered pork fat ie:
>Lard.

Hi Muddle!! Interesting thought. Each recipe is tailored for the
person / people who are making it. There are many different variations
of every thinkable recipe out there. You pick which recipe you want,
make it for the first time, and then you tweak it to fit your needs.
Each time I try a new recipe, I will follow the directions the first
time around, and then I tweak it to fit our family. Surely you have
done the same =)

Americans have made traditional ethnic recipes to fit their life
styles. As for thickening the soup itself, most chinese chefs I know
will use a small mixture of corn starch and water to thicken gravies,
etc. The traditional egg drop soup was never thick...that is some
thing other cultures have done. For instant: Boul golgi is eaten w/
lettuce leaves which are used as 'wraps'...In American restaraunts,
most Korean places will leave out the lettuce? Because Americans are
meat & potato people.

Have a great day and Hot & Sour Soup is also my fav....YUM!!
>

~~

MySpace URL:

http://www.myspace.com/duckie067