Egg Drop Soup

For the broth: Into a medium Dutch oven, add the chicken, ginger, coarsely chopped scallions, garlic, carrot, celery and black peppercorns. Add cold water to cover the chicken by an inch (about 4 quarts/16 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, skimming any foam that rises to the surface as it cooks.

Place a large cheesecloth-lined colander over a large bowl or heat-resistant pitcher and strain the broth, discarding the solids. Transfer the broth to a clean pot. (If you have a cup or so of extra stock, save or freeze for another use.)

Bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and a good pinch of white pepper. Taste and add more soy sauce or salt, as needed. (The amount of soy sauce/salt is going to mean the difference between a good or a great soup, so don’t be shy. Add and taste until the soup is great.)

Pour 1/4 cup of room temperature water into a spouted measuring cup and whisk in the cornstarch until smooth. Slowly drizzle into the soup, stirring constantly. Simmer for 1 minute to allow the soup to thicken ever so slightly.

In the same measuring cup, beat the eggs well with a pinch of salt. Stir the broth in a clockwise motion (or counter clockwise – the direction doesn’t matter and much as slow, consistent stirring) with one hand and slowly drizzle in the egg mixture with the other, creating flowing cloudlike strands of egg. Once all of the egg is added, turn off the heat and let the soup sit for a minute to finish cooking the egg.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with the thinly sliced scallions, chili oil and fried wonton strips. Serve immediately.