I call it "healing" soup, because it's a very soothing chicken soup with egg and vegetables, with the addition of Japanese black vinegar. Vinegar is said to help removing fatigue from your body. I feel very relaxed after drinking this soup. Japanese black vinegar has rich umami flavor and natural sweetness, so I like to add a generous amount of it to this recipe. But, if you want the vinegar flavor to be more subtle, you can reduce the amount of vinegar.
With the remarkable heat retention ability of my soup & stew donabe, "Miso-shiru Nabe", this soup stays very even 30 minutes after turning off the heat.
Once the vegetables are cooked and the broth is seasoned, just add the egg and gently stir.
To finish, a little drizzle of sesame oil will make it further aromatic.
Soothing Egg Drop and Vegetable Soup with Black Vinegar
Ingredients: (5 servings)
3 cups (750 ml) Japanese chicken stock
2 tablespoons sake
1 knob ginger, thinly-sliced into shreds (about 1/2 tablespoon)
3 oz (90 g) daikon radish, julienned
1 oz (30 g) carrot, julienned
3 oz (90 g) enoki mushrooms, cut in half
1/2 oz (15 g) glass noodles, cut into 4" (10 cm) length
1/3 cup shredded chicken from making Japanese chicken stock (optional)
2-3 tablespoons Japanese black vinegar ("kurozu")
1 1/2 tablespoons light color soy sauce ("usukuchi shoyu")
salt
2 teaspoons potato starch ("katakuriko") plus 4 teaspoons water
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 scallion, thinly-sliced
Procedure:
- In "Miso-shiru Nabe", combine the chicken stock, sake, ginger, daikon, and carrot. Set over medium-high heat. As soon as the broth starts boiling, reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the enoki mushrooms, glass noodles, and chicken. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the vinegar and soy sauce. Adjust the seasoning with salt.
- In a small cup, dissolve the potato starch in the water, and drizzle into "Miso-shiru Nabe". Stir.
- Drizzle in the egg and gently stir, so that the egg won't make the broth cloudy.
- To finish, drizzle the sesame oil and garnish with the scallion slices.
