West Lake Beef Soup

Xi Hu Niu Rou

Geng

West Lake Beef Soup, or xi hu niu rou geng, is a

traditional soup dish from Hangzhou, China. Legend
has it that the appearance of the eggy soup
resembles the surface of the picturesque West Lake
in Hangzhou, and hence
the name West Lake Beef Soup. The distinctive taste
of this soup comes from the chopped coriander
leaves (cilantro), which is added towards the end of
the cooking process. The heat diminishes their flavor
quickly and the soup is infused with the subtle,
citrusy tinge of the coriander leaves (cilantro).
Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal
6 oz (175 g) ground beef
1/2 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sherry
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
21/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
13/4 cups (425 ml) homemade Chicken Stock (page 31)
or 1 can (14 oz/400 g)
store-bought chicken broth
11/2 cups (375 ml) water
3 dashes white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup (10 g) coarsely chopped coriander leaves
(cilantro)
1 Marinate the ground beef with the Chinese rice wine and
sesame oil, about 10 minutes.
Break up the ground beef into small pieces using a fork after
marinating.
2 Mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water in a small
bowl. Stir to blend well. Set aside.

3 Bring the chicken broth and water to a boil in a pot. Lower

the heat to medium and add the ground beef into the soup.
Skim off the foam on the surface.
4 Add the white pepper and salt, and thicken the soup with
the cornstarch mixture. Stir the soup with a ladle and turn off
the heat.
5 Swirl the beaten eggs into the soup and immediately stir it
three times with a pair of chopsticks. Cover the pot with its lid
for 2 minutes. The eggs should be cooked and will form into
silken threads. Add the coriander leaves into the soup and stir
to blend.
6 Dish out into individual serving bowls and serve
immediately.