SOUPS

EGG DROP SOUP

8 cups chicken or pork broth
1 tsp water
1 tsp cornstarch
2 eggs well beaten
2 stalks scallions chopped
1/4tsp pepper
3tbs ham chopped
1tsp sesame oil
Fresh snow peas for garnish.

Heat broth. Combine water and cornstarch to make a paste, stir into broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add beaten eggs. Quickly stir in one direction only to make egg threads. Remove from heat. Add scallions,pepper,ham and sesame oil. Garnish with snow peas.

CHINESE NOODLE SOUP

To serve 4 to 6

4 dried Chinese mushrooms 1 1/2 inches in diameter
1/2 cup cooked chicken sliced 1/8 inch thick and cut into l-inch squares
1/2 cup roast pork, sliced 1/8 " thick
1/2 cup Smithfield ham, sliced 1/8" thick and cut into l-inch squares
1/4 Cup thinly sliced canned bamboo shoots
1/2 cup loosely packed watercress leaves
1/2 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles or substitute narrow Italian egg noodles such as tagliarini
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken stock, fresh or canned

PREPARE AHEAD: In a small bowl, cover the mushrooms with 1/2 cup of warm water and let them soak for 30 minutes. Discard the water. With a cleaver or sharp knife, cut away and discard the tough stems of the mushrooms, and cut the caps in half. Have the mushrooms, noodles, chicken stock, bamboo shoots, watercress, salt, chicken, pork and ham within easy reach.
TO COOK: In a 3- or 4-quart pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Drop in the noodles and boil them vigorously, uncovered, for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the noodles through a large sieve and run cold water over them to stop their cooking. Now bring the stock to a boil in the same pot, add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, watercress, salt and noodles, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for about 2 minutes. To serve, lift the noodles and vegetables out of the simmering soup with a bamboo strainer or slotted spoon, and transfer them to a large tureen or serving bowl. Arrange the chicken, pork and ham on top of them. Pour in the soup stock down one side of the bowl so as not to disturb the arrangement. Serve at once.

Sizzling Rice Soup

Hot soup poured over deep-fried rice Squares makes them sizzle and pop.

1/4 cup shredded chicken or pork butt
1/2 teaspoon dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup small fresh shrimp
1/2 teaspoon dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
4 cups oil for deep-frying
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup chicken broth
4 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sliced bamboo shoots
1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons frozen peas
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
5 or 6 (2-inch) squares Crisp Rice,seeRice and Noodles

Combine chicken or pork, 1/2 teaspoon wine and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl; mix well. Let stand 20 minutes. Shell and devein shrimp, rinse. Combine shrimp, 1/2 teaspoon sherry and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl; mix well. Let stand 20 minutes. Heat 4 cups oil in a wok over high heat to 400°F.While oil for deep-frying is
heating, heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan over medium heat 1 minute. Add chicken broth, 4 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil. Add bamboo shoots, carrot, mushrooms and peas. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken and shrimp. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in white pepper and sesame oil. Test oil for deep-frying by dropping in a small piece of crisp rice. The oil is hot enough if rice puffs out in 3 seconds. Carefully lower rice squares hot oil and deep-fry over high heat until rice puffs out and till golden. Quickly remove rice squares from oil with a slotted spoon draining well over wok. Place in a tureen or large bowl. At the pour hot soup over hot rice squares. The rice will sizzle and pop. Makes 4 servings.

WON TON SOUP

30 won tons
8 cups broth I like to use Top Raman oriental flavor)
6 mushrooms shredded
1/3 tsp bamboo shots shredded
1/2 tsp sesame oil
3 scallions chopped.
Bring broth to a boil. Add wontons ,reduce heat to a simmer, when won tons float thy are done. Add mushrooms, bamboo shots and sesame oil. Garnish with scallions.
Makes 6-8 servings.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP

1/4lb.lean pork shredded
1tsp dry sherry
1/4 cup dried wood ears & 1/4 cup dried lily buds soaked in 3 cups of hot water 20 min.remove stems set aside
1tbs light soy sauce
1 3 inch square tofu sliced thin
2 cups chicken broth
41/2 cups water
1tsp salt
2 oz.mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
1/4 cup bamboo shots shredded
2tbs shredded carrots
2tbs Worcestershire sauce
1tsp vinegar
5tbs cornstarch
5tbs water
1 egg beaten
1/2tspwhite pepper
1/2tsp black pepper
1tbs sesame oil
Pork marinade
1/2tsp sherry
1/2tsp cornstarch
1tsp sesame oil
Combine marinade in a small bowl add pork, marinate for 20 minutes. Combine broth and water and salt, bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shots,carrot,wood ears and lily buds. Simmer 3-4 minutes. Add pork with marinade and tofu. Bring to a boil. Add Worcestershire sauce and vinegar.

Velvet Corn Soup

4 oz skinless, boned chicken breasts
3 egg whites
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1(12 oz.) can cream-style corn
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 tbs chopped scallions
1 tbs chopped ham for garnish.

Mince chicken, place in a bowl; add egg whites mix and set aside. Combine chicken broth and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add corn and salt. Bring to a second boil.Desolve cornstarch and water to make a paste; add too corn mixture. Continue to boil until soup thickens. Reduce heat to low. Stirring in one direction only, mix in
chicken and egg white mixture. Cook 1 minute .Makes 6 servings

DUCK SOUP

Broth from steamed duck plus enough water to make 6 cups
Duck bones
4-5 slices ginger
3 scallions
3 cups Chinese celery cabbage, sliced thin
1/2 cup carrots, sliced
2 tbs.sliced scallions
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
Pour the 6 cups of liquid into a large pan. Add duck bones, ginger and 3 scallions. Cover and simmer 30 minutes; strain broth, discarding bones and vegetables. Add celery cabbage,carrots,soy sauce, sugar and sliced scallions. Simmer 5 minutes. Makes about 5 cups.

Double Mushroom Soup

1 ounce dried black Chinese mushrooms or shitake mushrooms
I tbs. vegetable oil
I large onion, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 ounces cooked ham ,sliced
2 cups thinly sliced scallions
1 tbs. soy sauce
I tbs. dry sherry
I tbs. cornstarch
2 14 ounces cans chicken broth

Place dried mushrooms in small bowl; cover with warm water. Soak 20 minutes to soften. Drain; squeeze out excess water. Discard stems; slice caps. Heat large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil; heat until hot. Add chopped onion and garlic; cook I minute. Add both mushrooms; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in ham and green onions; heat through. Blend soy sauce and sherry into cornstarch in cup until smooth. Stir into soup. Cook 2 minutes or until soup thickens, stirring occasionally. Ladle into soup bowls. Makes 6 serving

SILVER NOODLE SOUP from recipesorce
Yield: 4 servings

3 tb Peanut oil
1/3 lb Pork butt or shoulder, slivered
1 tb Slivered fresh ginger root
2 ts Thin soy sauce
2 ts Dry sherry
1/4 cup Slivered Szechwan mustard green
4 c Water
2 1/2 oz (approx) bean thread noodles
1 tb Minced fresh coriander
4 Sprigs of coriander for
-garnish
2 ts Sesame oil

Preparation: Marinate pork and ginger in thin soy and sherry for 30 minutes. Rinse chunk of Szechwan mustard green to remove all traces of chili coating; sliver like pork. The chili flavor will still be there, but in delicate balance with the mustard and pork. Soak noodles in warm water for 15 minutes, then rinse and drain. Stir-fry: Add oil to hot wok; when it just begins to smoke, add pork and ginger mixture. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add Szechwan mustard green; stir- fry 2 minutes.

Soup: In 2-quart saucepan, boil the water. Add hot pork stir-fry; simmer 3 minutes. Five minutes before serving, bring broth to boil, and add soaked noodles and minced coriander. Simmer 3 minutes or until noodles are soft, but not pasty. Pour into serving bowl, garnish with coriander sprigs and sesame oil, and serve.

Shrimp Wontons & Noodle Soup
Serves 4-6

While this is a soup, it is regarded as a kind of liquid dim sum, or full meal. You can have it for breakfast, lunch or even as a sort of 'high tea'

For The Marinade:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

For The Won Ton & Noodles:
8oz uncooked shrimp meat, coarsely chopped
36 won ton wrappers
1 egg, beaten
1 3/4 oz egg noodles
1/3 cup cold water
4-5 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon sesame oil
3 scallions, cut into 1 inch lengths

MARINADE: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Marinate the shrimp for 30 minutes. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons of shrimp in the middle of a won ton wrapper. Brush the shrimp with egg and enclose the won ton by pleating the edges of the wrapper together, shaping it like a bag. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and set aside. Drop the noodles into a large pan of boiling water. When the water return to a boil, add the cold water and cook 3-4minutes. Remove the noodles from the pan, rinse under cold water, and drain, but do not drain the pan. Return the noodles to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the noodles, drain and divide among soup bowls, but do not drain the pan. Drop the won tons into the pan of boiling water and cook until they float. Remove, drain, and place on top of the noodles. In another large pan, bring the broth to the boil. Add the soy sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil. Add the chives and cook 1 minute. Divide the liquid among the soup bowls and serve.