Ingredients
200 g chicken breast, 50 g fresh silverfish (whitebait), 1 egg.
Seasonings
5 g scallion, minced, 1 tablespoon each salt, cornstarch, and chicken fat, a pinch each of MSG and ground white pepper, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, 500 g (about 1 lb) clear broth, 750 g (about 1 1/2 lbs) chicken broth.
Preparation
1. Remove the heads and tails from fresh silverfish, then clean them thoroughly in clean water.
2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat until smooth.
3. Remove the membrane from the chicken breast, rinse clean, and cut into 5 cm (about 2-inch) long thin shreds. Place in a bowl, then add egg white, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt, mixing well to coat.
Steps
1. Place the pot over heat, add clear broth, cooking wine, and salt, bring to a boil, then add the silverfish, cook over high heat until boiling again, remove and pour into a soup pot.
2. Return the clean pot to the heat, add the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, then add the shredded chicken and gently separate it with chopsticks; once the chicken turns white, remove it with a slotted spoon, drain well, and transfer to the soup pot with the silverfish.
3. Bring the soup to a brief simmer over medium heat, season with salt and MSG to taste, skim off any foam, then sprinkle with chopped scallions and white pepper, and finish with a drizzle of chicken fat.