Celestial Egg Flower Soup Recipe

Assemble these supplies:

• 6 dried Chinese black mushrooms (about 2 ounces total weight), or 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
• 2 large or 4 small scallions
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 4 to 5 thin slices fresh ginger
• Pinch of sugar
• Dry sherry (if using canned stock)
• 1/4 pound small shrimps
• Small zucchini
• 1 leek (about 1 inch in diameter)
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 eggs (optional) 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil (optional)

Steps in preparation:

1. If using dried mushrooms, place mushrooms in small bowl. 
2. Cover with boiling water and let soak 15 to 20 minutes, or until softened.
3. Wash scallions, trim off ends, and cut in half. In me­dium-size saucepan, bring chicken stock, ginger, scallions, and a pinch of sugar to a simmer. 
4. If using canned broth, add 2/3 can cold water and sherry to taste. 
5. Simmer 5 minutes. 
6. Using slotted spoon, remove scallions and gin­ger, and discard. 
7. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
8. Peel and devein shrimp. Rinse under cold water. Set aside.
9. Wash zucchini and cut enough into %-inch dice to mea­sure 1/2 cup.
10. Cut green portion from leek, reserving white for an­other use. 
11. Trim off tops of greens and discard. 
12. Slit remain­ing green portion lengthwise into 6 to 8 strips. 
13. Rinse thoroughly in cold water to remove any grit. 
14. With chef's knife or slicing cleaver, cut crosswise to yield 1/4 cup.
15. Cut each tomato in half.
16. Drain mushrooms and discard tough stems. 
17. Cut mush­rooms into quarters. 
18. If using fresh mushrooms, clean with damp paper towels and proceed as for dried.
19. In small bowl, mix cornstarch with 3/4 cup stock.
20. If using eggs, separate them into 2 small bowls and reserve yolks for another use. 
21. With whisk, beat egg whites until frothy.
22. Return stock to a simmer. Add mushrooms and leeks, and simmer 2 minutes. 
23. Add zucchini and simmer 30 seconds.
24. Bring soup to a simmer. Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine. 
25. Stirring constantly, slowly add cornstarch mixture to the soup. 
26. When soup has reached desired con­sistency, stop adding cornstarch mixture.
27. Add tomatoes and shrimp to soup. Stir 30 seconds.
28. Reduce heat to low. Slowly pour egg white into thick­ened soup. 
29. Allow to set 10 seconds, then agitate soup slowly with a ladle to bring egg white to top.
30. Add peas to soup, stirring to break up frozen block.
31. Transfer soup to a tureen. Top with sesame oil, if desired, and serve.