Three Fresh Soup (San Xian Tang)

A lightning-fast 10-minute summer soup featuring pan-fried eggs, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, and ham sausages simmered into a rich, milky-white broth with no extra seasonings.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 block firm white tofu
• 5 shiitake mushrooms
• 1 ham sausage
• 4 leaves napa cabbage
• to taste salt
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

Instructions

1. 1Slice the Shiitake Mushrooms and Ham Sausage

   

   Place clean shiitake mushrooms and ham sausage onto a wooden cutting board. Using a sharp kitchen knife, slice both ingredients into neat, uniform pieces to ensure even cooking and distribution in the soup.

   Tip: Cut the mushrooms and sausage to consistent thickness so they cook uniformly and blend well together in the broth.
2. 2Cube the Tofu

   

   Take a block of firm white tofu and place it on the wooden cutting board. Carefully slice the tofu into small, bite-sized squares so they can easily absorb the flavors of the soup during boiling.

   Tip: Handle the tofu gently with the flat of the knife or your fingers to keep the cubes from breaking apart.
3. 3Pour Eggs into the Frying Pan

   

   Crack three fresh eggs into a glass measuring cup and mix them slightly, then pour them directly into a hot frying pan that has been preheated with a small amount of oil.

   Tip: Ensure the pan is adequately hot before pouring the eggs so they quickly form a rich, golden crust.
4. 4Cut the Fried Egg

   

   Transfer the thoroughly fried egg with its rich golden crust onto a clean surface lined with patterned paper. Use a kitchen tool or knife to cut the fried egg into smaller chunks.

   Tip: Cutting the fried egg into smaller pieces helps release its rich flavors and creates a milky-white broth when boiled.
5. 5Add Fried Egg Pieces to the Pot

   

   Carefully transfer the cut pieces of fried egg from the plate directly into an empty cooking pot in preparation for making the soup base.

   Tip: Make sure the pot is ready and clean before adding the egg pieces to start building the soup.
6. 6Pour Hot Water into the Pot

   

   Pour hot water directly into the cooking pot over the fried egg pieces. Boiling or hot water helps immediately create a rich, milky-white broth base.

   Tip: Using hot water instead of cold water is the secret to getting that desirable opaque, milky soup appearance quickly.
7. 7Add Mushrooms, Sausage, and Tofu

   

   Gently add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, ham sausage slices, and soft tofu blocks into the simmering broth with the pan-fried eggs.

   Tip: Add the ingredients carefully to avoid breaking the soft tofu blocks.
8. 8Season the Soup with Salt

   

   Add an appropriate amount of salt using a measuring spoon directly into the simmering soup to enhance the natural flavors of all the ingredients.

   Tip: Add salt gradually and taste the broth before adding more.
9. 9Add Napa Cabbage

   

   Tuck fresh napa cabbage leaves into the pot and let them simmer until tender and fully integrated into the soup.

   Tip: Napa cabbage cooks down quickly and adds a refreshing sweetness to the broth.

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