YJL

1   The time

I may not remember when, but I am certain it’s at steakhouse — though it’s not the same style as above — not those with dress code requirement or medium price range, but fairly economic place to eat as family of four or five or ten plus.

The very first one cooked in this style I ate is ones sold for breakfast you can eat at breakfast diner, but commonly on the go to work or to school, at least at my time as a student. I recall there was a time that I would ask my classmate to buy for me, even I walked by the diner every morning and I always arrived in classroom first, waiting for the person to carry my breakfast to my desk. Not sure why.

So, a small wide mouth paper cup with plastic lid, I always had an ~200cc cup, the smallest cup you can buy, but the person always had a tall at least double of mine. Every time, I’d wonder how one could chow down that entire burning hot soup before the first bell. Still a mystery to this day.

2   The soup

There are a few key things about this soup.

Firstly, the soup has to be extremely hot, you can see the heat coming up as you opening the lid.

Secondly, it has to have unbelievable amount of cracked black pepper greeting you at the center of surface, which has been under the lid after buying, you get the cup and you add the amount you like before you seal it off with the lid.

Thirdly, you must use a cheaply thin plastic spoon to scoop up and blowing it cold as you pouring back down to cool it down for at least a minute. This also serve as mixing in the black pepper.

Lastly, be brave, drink it even you know the blowing didn’t do a thing.

3   The taste

Last week, I finally cooked a pot by myself, which was surprisingly easy. I was trying to find some recipes to force myself to eat some eggs for the sake of nutrient I need. Before I was reminded of this soup, egg drop soup was the choice I was going for. I am still not used to eggs, sunny-side-up egg or egg scrambled pasta could easily make me taste the freshness or — in another word to put it — the rawness.

I’ve not eaten this style of soup for at least a decade, maybe even two. Frankly, as cliché as I dare, it’s nostalgic. Never thought of this day would come, use of “nostalgic,” does that mean I’m <INSERT-A-THREE-LETTER-WORD>?

Many people would consider this style of soup is cheap, not delicate nor healthy. I agree with them, however, there is a few details can be overlooked when you have a creamy soup or any twenty-ingredient-plus soup. These days, people’s taste buds are clouded by the sweetness and condiments, and ain’t even aware of.

The texture of yellow-and-white egg ribbons which swim elegantly in the soup, and the slices of translucent onion, which a lot of people probably don’t even notice. The sweet corn kernel, still firm and to the bite, popping out sweetness. And the black pepper, the spotlight of this post, which I had never actually paid attention to it before, it suddenly gets all my attention. I didn’t realize how much amount I like to have them nor the taste of them, the heat they provide as you taste. Yes, the soup is hot, but the unique heat from black pepper is still there.

For me, the black pepper is the focal point that somehow oddly blurry, defying the meaning of words. It’s there, but you can see it, but you don’t.

4   The recipe

The soup you see above, only has six ingredients, don’t ask me the amounts, I’ve no clue.

• Julienned onion
• Can of sweet corn
• Water
• Corn/potato starch
• Egg
• Black pepper

Here is how I cook it:

1. Open the can, pour only the juice to the pot.
2. Add water and sliced onion.
3. Bring to a boil and wait until onions are translucent and just abort to give in when you squeeze them between your fingers.
4. Pour in starch slurry until you get thickness you like. You will need to balance out the water and slurry, so you can have right amount of soup you want.
5. Add beaten eggs. If you want white ribbons, don’t beat all the way, which was what I did.
6. Add corn kernels and heat off.

Serving with black pepper, a lot of, which you don’t cook with it. I know some would add julienned carrot, which you should add with onion.

5   After two pots

Last week and this week, I made one pot each, would I cook again? Not in a short time. From the amount of starch I had to use for the thickness, there is no way I am going to eat this again, maybe just a couple of times a year.

Like I said, it’s nostalgic, doesn’t mean it is healthy or not. However, I would advise you not to cook too much, or if you have to refrigerate the leftover, you would come to a shock when you take it out for reheating, a strong visual reminder of starch.