Mandarin Soup

Mandarin soup is one of those Chinese restaurant staples that most diners have eaten without knowing the name. Pork strips, bamboo shoots, rehydrated dried mushrooms, and cubes of silken bean curd simmer in chicken broth until the flavors marry, then a cornstarch slurry thickens the broth into a silky texture and a beaten egg drizzles in to create those delicate yellow ribbons that float on top.

The technique that makes this soup sing is the rehydration of dried mushrooms. Soaking them 20 minutes in warm water softens them for slicing, but the real prize is the mushroom liquid. Added to the chicken stock, it deepens the umami in a way fresh mushrooms alone cannot. Do not throw that water out.

Everything cooks fast once the broth is hot, about 10 minutes start to finish for the meat and vegetables. The egg goes in last with the heat off, stirred once gently so the strands stay long and ribbon-like rather than breaking into small clumps. A drizzle of sesame oil and scallion on top, and the bowl is ready.

Chef Tips

• Use dried shiitake or wood ear mushrooms for the most authentic Chinese flavor. Enoki (listed here) also work but have a more delicate taste.
• Slice all ingredients to roughly the same thin size so they cook uniformly and look uniform in the spoon.
• Beat the egg thoroughly before drizzling. Partially beaten eggs produce thick clumps instead of thin ribbons.
• Drizzle the egg from a height of 6 inches or so while stirring the soup. This is how you get the classic flower petals.
• Add sesame oil at the end, off the heat. Cooking sesame oil destroys its nutty aroma.

Variations

• Swap pork for chicken, beef, or shrimp depending on what you have.
• Add 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon of white pepper to turn this into a basic hot and sour soup.
• Include a handful of baby spinach or watercress in the last minute for extra greens.