Comforting Chicken Soup
Flour Bits (Mian Geda Tang)
A traditional, comforting Chinese soup made with tender homemade flour bits, shredded chicken, and fresh spinach in a savory, silky broth.
Nanjing mornings can be chilly, and there is no better way to warm up than with a bowl of chicken soup with flour bits. Known as Mian Geda Tang, this humble dish features Shandong-style flour bits that are easy to make at home. It is a nostalgic, wholesome meal that brings the family to the table with its savory aroma and tender, comforting texture.
Ingredients
- 500 ml chicken soup
- 100 g shredded chicken
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 handful fresh spinach
- to taste salt
Instructions
- 1Prepare the soup base
Pour the prepared chicken soup into a pot and add the shredded chicken. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat to prepare it for the flour bits.
Tip: Ensure the soup is at a rolling boil before adding the flour bits to get the right texture. - 2Combine chicken and broth
Add the prepared shredded chicken into the boiling soup. This ensures the chicken flavors are fully incorporated into the broth base.
Tip: You can use leftover cooked chicken or freshly poached chicken for this step. - 3Make the flour bits
Place flour in a bowl and slowly drizzle in a thin stream of water while constantly stirring with chopsticks. Keep stirring until the flour forms small, crumb-like pieces similar to breadcrumbs.
Tip: The key is to add the water very slowly and stir constantly to prevent large dough clumps from forming. - 4Cook the flour bits
Add the prepared flour bits into the boiling chicken soup. Stir gently and allow it to cook for two to three minutes until the flour bits are tender and fully cooked.
Tip: Stir immediately after adding the bits to ensure they dont stick together at the bottom of the pot. - 5Add egg ribbons
Slowly pour the whisked eggs into the simmering soup in a thin, steady stream while stirring gently to create delicate egg ribbons.
Tip: Stir slowly to achieve long, beautiful ribbons instead of small, broken egg pieces. - 6Finish with spinach
Add a handful of fresh spinach and a pinch of salt to the soup. Stir well and cook for another minute until the spinach has wilted, then serve immediately.
Tip: Do not overcook the spinach; it only needs a brief moment in the hot soup to retain its color and texture.
