Name: Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup (Sup Mang Cua)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 5 cups stock (beef/pork/chicken/vegetable); ½ cup lump crab meat; 10 hardboiled quail eggs; 2 beaten egg whites; 12 oz white or green asparagus (see notes); 3 tablespoons tapioca flour; 4 tablespoons room temperature water; Thinly sliced cilantro or green onions; Ground white pepper (can substitute with ground black pepper); Sesame oil

Description

A simple, elegant egg-drop soup often served at weddings. It’s easy to make at home and perfect for a cold winter day.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Broth

5 cups stock (beef/pork/chicken/vegetable)
1/2 cup lump crab meat
10 hardboiled quail eggs
2 beaten egg whites
12 oz white or green asparagus (see notes)

Slurry

3 tablespoons tapioca flour
4 tablespoons room temperature water

Garnishes

Thinly sliced cilantro or green onions
Ground white pepper (can substitute with ground black pepper)
Sesame oil

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Instructions

Prepare the ingredients: If using white fungus, soak the whole flower in hot water for 10 minutes. Once soften, remove the rough middle section, give it a good rinse a couple of times then chop it up finely and set aside. Wash the asparagus and remove any rough ends. Thinly slice it into concentric circles then set aside.
Make the soup: In a medium stock pot, heat up your choice of stock. Once it comes to a boil, add cooked crab meat, breaking it to thin strips with your fingers. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Season soup: Add a bit of salt and MSG, if needed. Keep in mind that store-bought stock and some crab meat may already be salty so you may not need to season as much or at all. It’s best to taste-test. If making this with my homemade pork stock, no need for extra seasoning. When making this with my favorite store-bought Korean beef bone soup broth (Jay One brand), which comes slightly seasoned, I use two bags of the stock (17.6 oz each) and add 1 teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon MSG.
Add eggs: Add hardboiled quail eggs. While gently stirring the pot in one direction, add the beaten eggs in a slow stream to get long strands of cooked eggs.
Add the tapioca mixture. Cook for 10 more minutes or until broth thickens.
Add asparagus. Turn off the heat. The residual heat will cook the asparagus.
Finish: Ladle into small bowls. Garnish with cilantro or green onions, a sprinkle of ground pepper, and a drizzle of sesame oil.

Notes

Can substitute white asparagus with 1 dried white fungus flower (about 22 grams)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Appetizer, Side Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Vietnamese