Rouwanzi Tang (Chinese Meatball, Cabbage & Egg Drop Soup)

Name: Rouwanzi Tang (Chinese Meatball, Cabbage & Egg Drop Soup)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 450 g ground chicken; 10 g fresh ginger, grated (about 2 tsp); 2 cloves garlic, finely grated (about 6 g); 2 scallions, finely minced (about 20 g), plus more for serving; 15 g soy sauce (1 tbsp); 10 g Shaoxing wine (2 tsp) or dry sherry (optional); 6 g kosher salt (about 1 tsp); 2 g sugar (1/2 tsp); 1 g ground white pepper (about 1/2 tsp); 10 g toasted sesame oil (2 tsp); 20 g cornstarch (about 2 1/2 tbsp); 30 g cold water (2 tbsp); 1.5 L chicken stock or water (about 6 cups); 300 g napa cabbage or green cabbage, sliced into 2–3 cm ribbons (about 6–7 cups loosely packed); 10 g fresh ginger, sliced (about a 5 cm knob); 15 g soy sauce (1 tbsp), plus more to taste; 5 g kosher salt (about 3/4 tsp), to taste; 1 g ground white pepper (about 1/2 tsp), plus more to taste; 10 g toasted sesame oil (2 tsp), to finish; 2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells), beaten; 10–15 g dried mushrooms, rehydrated and thinly sliced (optional; adds deep savoriness); Chili oil, to serve (optional)

Davis Whitehead

A light, comforting Chinese soup with bouncy chicken meatballs, tender cabbage, and silky egg ribbons in a gingery, peppery broth. It’s fast enough for a weeknight but still feels special, especially with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil right at the end. This version uses pantry-friendly seasonings and keeps the broth clear and clean, with optional dried mushroom for deeper savoriness.

soup
weeknight
Chinese
gluten-free adaptable

30 min total · 15 min prep · 15 min cook

Serves 4

260 kcal · 25g protein · 9g carbs · 14g fat total

Ingredients

Instructions

Make the meatballs

In a bowl, combine ground chicken (450 g), grated ginger (10 g), grated garlic (6 g), minced scallions (20 g), soy sauce (15 g), Shaoxing wine (10 g, if using), salt (6 g), sugar (2 g), white pepper (1 g), and toasted sesame oil (10 g). Mix vigorously with chopsticks or a spoon for 60–90 seconds until the mixture looks sticky and slightly stringy.

Stir in cornstarch (20 g), then stir in cold water (30 g) until fully absorbed. The mix should feel tacky and hold its shape.

Build the broth

In a pot, bring stock or water (1.5 L) to a gentle simmer. Add sliced ginger (10 g) and soy sauce (15 g). Keep it at a bare simmer—small bubbles, not a rolling boil.

If using dried mushrooms, add the sliced rehydrated mushrooms now and simmer 5 minutes. The broth should smell clean and savory.

Poach meatballs and cook cabbage

With wet hands or two spoons, portion meatball mixture into 18–22 small balls (about 25–30 g each) and drop them into the simmering broth. Keep the heat gentle so the broth stays clearer.

Simmer 6–8 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through: they’ll float, look opaque all the way through, and feel springy when nudged.

Add cabbage (300 g) and simmer 2–4 minutes until it’s tender but still a little crisp at the thick ribs.

Egg ribbons and finish

Taste the broth and adjust with salt (up to 5 g) and white pepper (about 1 g total, or to taste). Turn the heat down to low so the soup is barely moving.

Slowly drizzle in beaten eggs (2), stirring the soup in one direction to create ribbons. Stop stirring once the egg sets—about 20–30 seconds—so you don’t break the strands.

Turn off the heat. Finish with toasted sesame oil (10 g). Serve hot with extra scallions and chili oil if you like.

Tip: If your broth turns a little cloudy, it’s usually from boiling too hard. Keep it at a gentle simmer and it will still taste great.

Notes

Gluten-free: use tamari instead of soy sauce and double-check your stock. Make-ahead: mix the meatball paste up to 24 hours ahead; keep covered and cold. Texture note: mixing until sticky + a little cornstarch makes the meatballs bouncy and tender, not crumbly. No Shaoxing? Skip it or use dry sherry; you can also add 5 g rice vinegar at the end for brightness (I avoided lemon since you usually do).