This is another dish from my childhood that I was reminiscing about lately. It’s an absolute comfort food to me – more hearty than your simple egg drop soup but still lighter than your typical American cream-based soup. Delicious!
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 to 1-1/4 pounds ground chicken
1 pound frozen fish balls, thawed enough to remove from package
6 cups water
3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 (19 oz) package soft tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons fish sauce
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch plus 1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper or to taste
Green onions, finely chopped for garnish
In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry until golden brown. Add ground chicken, turn heat up to high, and continue to stir-fry until chicken is cooked through. Add fish balls, water, chicken broth, tofu, and fish sauce, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium-high and let the soup simmer for several minutes. Then, pour in the eggs while stirring vigorously to form egg strands in the soup. Finally, slowly pour in cornstarch mixture while stirring until soup thickens and turns luscious, lol. Let soup continue to simmer for a couple more minutes while you season it with salt and white pepper to taste. Turn off heat, ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and garnish with green onions. Serve with or without rice. Enjoy!
