Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup (Sup Mang Cua)

Ingredients

• 5 cups stock (beef/pork/chicken/vegetable)
• 1/2 cup lump crab meat
• 10 hardboiled quail eggs
• 2 beaten egg whites
• 12 oz white or green asparagus (see notes)
• 3 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 4 tablespoons room temperature water
• Thinly sliced cilantro or green onions
• Ground white pepper (can substitute with ground black pepper)
• Sesame oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients: If using white fungus, soak the whole flower in hot water for 10 minutes. Once soften, remove the rough middle section, give it a good rinse a couple of times then chop it up finely and set aside. Wash the asparagus and remove any rough ends. Thinly slice it into concentric circles then set aside.

2. 2

   Make the soup: In a medium stock pot, heat up your choice of stock. Once it comes to a boil, add cooked crab meat, breaking it to thin strips with your fingers. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Season soup: Add a bit of salt and MSG, if needed. Keep in mind that store-bought stock and some crab meat may already be salty so you may not need to season as much or at all. It’s best to taste-test. If making this with my homemade pork stock, no need for extra seasoning. When making this with my favorite store-bought Korean beef bone soup broth (Jay One brand), which comes slightly seasoned, I use two bags of the stock (17.6 oz each) and add 1 teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon MSG.

4. 4

   Add eggs: Add hardboiled quail eggs. While gently stirring the pot in one direction, add the beaten eggs in a slow stream to get long strands of cooked eggs.

5. 5

   Add the tapioca mixture: Cook for 10 more minutes or until broth thickens.

6. 6

   Add asparagus: Turn off the heat. The residual heat will cook the asparagus.

7. 7

   Finish: Ladle into small bowls. Garnish with cilantro or green onions, a sprinkle of ground pepper, and a drizzle of sesame oil.