Grandma’s Dough Drop Soup (疙瘩汤)

My grandma’s dough drop soup is something she cooks dearly, and I love it!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Rustic & Humble: This dish celebrates the beauty of simple ingredients—just flour, water, and egg.
• Chewy Bits: Unlike smooth noodles, these “dough drops” have irregular shapes that are incredibly fun to eat and soak up the broth.
• Hearty & Filling: A thick, porridge-like consistency that is perfect for a cold evening or when you’re feeling under the weather.

Key Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour: The base of the dough drops; the key is how you add the water.
• Tomato & Scallion: Provide a bright, aromatic base for the humble dough pieces.
• Egg: Adds richness and body to the savory broth.

✅Quick Tips: To get perfect, tiny dough drops, add water to the flour one teaspoon at a time while whisking rapidly with chopsticks. You want small clumps, not a big ball of dough.

Key Steps

• Step 1: Create the “drops” by slowly drizzling water into flour and stirring until tiny crumbles form.

• Step 2: Sauté tomatoes until mushy, then add water to create the cooking liquid.

• Step 3: Drip the dough crumbles into the boiling soup, stirring constantly to keep them separate.

Step 4: Finish with a swirled egg and a drizzle of sesame oil for a comforting, thick texture.

Grandma’s Dough Drop Soup (疙瘩汤)

Known as Gā dā tāng, these chewy dough pieces simmer in a savory broth for a simple, deeply comforting meal.

Author: Aila Lin Cooking Method: Vegetables Courses: Noodles, Soup & Stews Recipe Keys: O One-Pot Meals Q Quick & Easy

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Prep Time 8 mins Cook Time 15 mins Total Time 23 mins Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 150 g all purpose flour
• 60 g water

Soup base:

• 2-3 stalks scallion
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• A pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• A pinch of dried shrimp (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix flour with water. Pour the water in like tiny droplets—don’t make one big dough! Each droplet will cook into little noodles.
2. Once the dough forms, set it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pot and sauté scallions until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook a few minutes.
4. Add water to make a simple soup base. Season with soy sauce and a pinch of salt.
5. Drop in your dough droplets, stir quickly so they don’t stick, and cook until they float and turn slightly transparent.
6. Pour in beaten eggs like making egg drop soup, cook 20–30 seconds, and finish with fresh scallions.
7. Optional: sprinkle a little dried shrimp on top for extra flavor..

Keywords: Soup, Dough, Comfort food, Homemade, Chinese, 20-min