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My-One-And-Only Soup is a comforting dish with silky egg ribbons, perfect for new beginnings.
The day I found out I would become a parent remains crystal clear in my mind, like the perfect ribbon of egg in this soup. That evening, my partner and I wanted to cook something simple yet comforting, the kind of meal that wraps around you like a hug. Cue the discovery of my one-and-only soup recipe. We rummaged through the pantry and found a can of low-sodium chicken broth and a lingering bottle of soy sauce. The tofu and mushrooms were just leftovers I'd stopped noticing in the fridge. Suddenly they were destined to be transformed into something special.
Chopping firm tofu into neat little cubes felt strangely therapeutic, almost like we were preparing for the things to come. It was the quiet before the storm of diapers and sleepless nights. Tossing them into a bowl with chicken broth, rice vinegar, and a touch of chili oil gave us a sense of profound calm. The secret was whisking the cornstarch with water beforehand, ensuring the mixture wouldn't clump up. This was something I learned the hard way once when I didn't mix thoroughly. And when it was time to drizzle the egg, I remember my partner watching its silky threads form as if witnessing magic.
Just before serving, we added a sprinkle of white pepper and garnished with fresh scallions for an aromatic kick. That evening was a beginning, just like this soup embodies beginnings—simple ingredients, a touch of creativity, and a lot of love. We sat there with warm bowls in our hands, making promises to embrace the new chapter ahead.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth plus more, to taste
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce plus more, to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon chili oil plus more, to taste
- 1/4 cup firm tofu cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons egg whisked (about 1/2 an egg)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 scallion thinly sliced, for garnish
Directions
- In a small bowl, add the water and the cornstarch and whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set it aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl or a microwave-safe mug that can hold at least 20 ounces of liquid, add 1 cup of the broth, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of the rice vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon of the chili oil and stir to combine.
- Taste the broth mixture and add the extra broth, the extra soy sauce, the extra rice vinegar, and/or the extra chili oil, as needed.
- Add the tofu and the mushrooms to the broth mixture and stir to combine.
- Place a paper towel over the bowl and place the bowl in the microwave.
- Microwave the broth mixture at full power for 2 minutes.
- Carefully stir the soup mixture.
- Microwave the soup again until the mushrooms are cooked, about 1 minute on full power.
- Add the slurry mixture to the soup mixture, while continually stirring, until it is fully mixed in.
- Drizzle the egg over the soup, sprinkle it with the pepper, and quickly whisk the egg into the soup with a fork until it begins to form into ribbons.
- Microwave the soup until it has thickened and the egg is fully cooked, about 1 minute on full power.
- Garnish with the scallions and serve.
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