Too few soups are both hearty and quick to make, but West Lake soups—named after their area of origin (West Lake is in the northern Chinese city of Hangzhou)—are stunning exceptions. I’ve eaten West Lake soup only in restaurants and homes in this country, but the preparations have always offered wonderfully clear and intense flavors and a marked richness. This comes not only from dropped egg whites but from loads of meat or fish, cilantro, peas, and, as I found out in the cooking, a bit of cornstarch, which is not altogether necessary but is harmless enough. If you’re interested in West Lake Fish Soup, which uses a slightly different procedure, see page 134. See page 274 for more on Shaoxing wine.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1/2 pound beef, preferably sirloin, trimmed and chopped

　　1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

　　3 tablespoons soy sauce

　　6 cups beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160)

　　1 teaspoon white pepper, or more to taste

　　2 tablespoons cornstarch

　　1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas

　　2 egg whites, lightly beaten

　　1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

　　

Step 1

Mix the beef with the wine and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce; set aside. Bring the stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Season with the remaining soy sauce and the white pepper. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the stock with the cornstarch.

　　

Step 2

Add the peas and beef to the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the peas are bright green and the beef loses its pinkness, about 2 minutes. Using a whisk or chopsticks, drizzle in the egg whites, stirring constantly.

　　

Step 3

Stir in the cornstarch mixture. When the soup thickens, remove it from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately.

　　

West Lake Crab Soup

Step 4

Substitute 1/2 pound shredded crabmeat or lobster meat for the beef and fish stock (page 161) for the beef or chicken stock. In step 2, add the crabmeat after the egg whites (it will cook almost instantly).

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.