Egg Drop Vegetable Soup

Kakitama-jiru

This soup is full of flavors and very satisfying. The addition of the black vinegar gives the nice umami-rich accent to the dish. The fluffy egg with vegetables make wonderful layers of textures, too. I like to sprinkle some sansho powder to the soup for extra kick, but it's totally optional.

Equipment

Soup & Stew Donabe, Miso-shiru Nabe (large)

Servings

4 - 5

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1,000 ml) Japanese chicken stock or your choice of dashi
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 1 knob ginger, very finely julienned (about 1/2 tablespoon)
• 4 oz (120 g) daikon, julienned into 2" (5 cm) pieces
• 2 oz (60 g) carrot, julienned into 2" (5 cm) pieces
• 5 oz (150 g) enoki mushrooms, trimmed, pulled apart by hand, then cut in half
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons Japanese black vinegar (can substitute with rice vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons white tamari (can substitute with usukuchi shoyu/ light color soy sauce)
• sea salt
• 1 tablespoon katakuriko (potato starch), dissolved with 2 tablespoon water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• A good pinch of freshly-ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 green onion, thinly-sliced crosswise
• Sansho powder to taste (optional)

Procedure

1. Combine the stock, sake, ginger, daikon, carrot, and enoki mushrooms in Miso-shiru Nabe. Set over medium-high heat. As soon as the broth starts to boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for a few minutes.
2. Add the vinegar and soy sauce. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary.
3. Gradually stir the katakuriko mixture into the soup.
4. Gradually drizzle in the egg and turn off the heat. Wait for 15 seconds or so, then gently stir, so that the egg won’t make the broth cloudy.
5. Add the black pepper, then drizzle the sesame oil. Serve into individual bowls at the table and garnish with some green onion and sansho powder.

This soup is so savory and nourishing