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Simple Vietnamese Crab Soup Recipe

Ingredients

For the Broth

500g chicken bones
1 medium onion, halved
1 piece of ginger (about 3 cm), sliced
1 daikon radish (optional), cut into large pieces
2liters Water
1tsp Salt

For the Soup

250g fresh crab meat (blue crab or mud crab is preferred)
200g chicken breast, shredded
2 large eggs (whites only)
100g sweet corn kernels (fresh or canned)
50g shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
1tbs cornstarch
2tbs water (for cornstarch slurry)
1tsp Fish sauce
1/2tsp white pepper
1tsp Sesame oil
2tsp quail eggs (optional)
2tbs chopped green onions
2tbs chopped coriander

For Garnish

Instructions

Place the chicken or chicken bones in a large pot. Add the halved onion, sliced ginger, and daikon radish (if using). Pour in 2 liters of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the broth simmer for about 30 minutes. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. After 30 minutes, strain the broth to remove the solids. Return the clear broth to the pot. Season with salt, and set aside.
While the broth is simmering, cook the chicken breast in a separate pot of boiling water until fully cooked (about 10-12 minutes). Once cooked, remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, then shred it into fine strips.
Add the shredded chicken, sweet corn, and mushrooms (if using) to the chicken broth. Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer. Add the crab meat to the broth and cook for about 5 minutes until heated through. In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites until slightly frothy. Slowly drizzle the egg whites into the hot soup, stirring gently to create delicate strands of egg. In a separate small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the soup while stirring constantly. This will thicken the soup to a smooth, velvety consistency.
Add fish sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil to the soup. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
If using quail eggs, carefully add them to the soup and let them heat through for about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped green onions and coriander just before serving.