Egg tong sui, also known as sweet egg soup or daan tong sui, is a beloved traditional Chinese dessert soup that’s simple yet deeply satisfying. This warm, gently sweet soup features delicate ribbons of beaten egg suspended in a clear, syrupy broth flavored with ginger and rock sugar. Despite its humble ingredients, egg tong sui has a luxurious silky texture and subtle sweetness that makes it the perfect ending to a meal or a comforting treat any time of day. In Chinese culture, this dessert soup is considered nourishing and warming, often served to new mothers, people recovering from illness, or anyone needing comfort. The key is achieving those beautiful egg ribbons that float like golden threads through the crystal-clear soup. Quick to make yet elegant in appearance, egg tong sui embodies the Chinese culinary philosophy that simple ingredients, when prepared with care, can create something truly special.
Serving Quantity: 4 servings
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
1. Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 3/4 cup rock sugar or 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 slices fresh ginger (about 1/4 inch thick each)
- 2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sweet wine or rice wine (optional)
2. Nutrition Information Per Serving
- Calories: 185
- Protein: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fat: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sodium: 180mg
3. Prepare the Ginger
Peel the fresh ginger and cut it into three thick slices, about a quarter inch each. Don’t mince or grate it, you want substantial slices that can easily be removed later. The ginger adds warmth and helps balance the sweetness while providing that characteristic aromatic quality. Lightly smash each slice with the flat side of a knife to release more flavor.
4. Prepare the Pandan Leaves
If using pandan leaves, rinse them and tie them into a simple knot. Pandan adds a subtle vanilla-like fragrance and a hint of color to the soup. It’s optional but traditional in many Southeast Asian Chinese communities. The knotted leaves are easier to remove after cooking and release their aroma better than flat leaves.
5. Bring Water to Boil
Pour the water into a medium saucepan and add the ginger slices and pandan leaves if using. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. This infuses the water with ginger flavor and creates an aromatic base for your soup.
6. Add the Sugar
Add the rock sugar or granulated sugar to the simmering water. Rock sugar is traditional and creates a cleaner, more refined sweetness with a slightly different texture than granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. The liquid should be clear and look like a light syrup. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference. Some people like it sweeter, others prefer it more subtle.
7. Beat the Eggs
While the sugar is dissolving, crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the salt. Using a fork or whisk, beat the eggs thoroughly until the yolks and whites are completely combined and the mixture is uniform in color with no streaks. Don’t overbeat to the point of creating lots of foam, just beat until smooth. The salt helps the egg proteins set more smoothly and enhances flavor.
8. Prepare for Egg Addition
Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the soup back to a gentle, rolling boil. This is important because the boiling temperature is what will cook the egg ribbons instantly as they hit the liquid. If the liquid isn’t hot enough, the eggs will sink and create a cloudy, messy soup instead of beautiful ribbons.
9. Create Gentle Movement
Using a spoon or ladle, stir the boiling soup in one direction to create a gentle whirlpool or circular current. This movement will help create those beautiful egg ribbons and distribute them evenly throughout the soup. Keep the circular motion going throughout the next step.
10. Pour in the Eggs
While continuing to stir in a circular motion, slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the boiling soup in a thin, steady stream. Pour from a height of about 6 inches above the pot. The hot liquid will instantly cook the egg as it enters, forming delicate, wispy ribbons. Pour slowly and keep the soup moving to create the most beautiful, thread-like egg strands.
11. Stop Stirring
Once all the egg is added, immediately stop stirring and let the soup return to a gentle boil for about 10 to 15 seconds. Don’t stir anymore or you’ll break up the egg ribbons into small pieces. You want to maintain those long, silky strands. The egg should float throughout the soup in beautiful golden ribbons.
12. Add Wine
If using sweet wine or rice wine, add it now and give the soup just one gentle stir. The wine adds depth and a subtle fragrance. This is optional but traditional in many recipes. Just a small amount enhances the overall flavor without making it alcoholic-tasting.
13. Remove Aromatics
Turn off the heat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove and discard the ginger slices and pandan leaves. They’ve done their job of flavoring the soup and are no longer needed. The soup should be crystal clear with golden egg ribbons floating throughout.
14. Check the Consistency
Look at your soup. It should be clear and slightly syrupy with beautiful ribbons of cooked egg floating throughout. The liquid shouldn’t be cloudy. If it is, the water wasn’t hot enough when you added the eggs, or you stirred too much after adding them. It will still taste good even if not perfectly clear.
15. Serve Warm
Ladle the egg tong sui into small bowls while it’s still warm. This dessert soup is traditionally served warm, not hot or cold. The warmth is part of its comforting, nourishing quality. Make sure each serving gets plenty of egg ribbons along with the sweet soup.
16. Enjoy Immediately
Egg tong sui is best enjoyed fresh and warm. Sip the sweet soup and enjoy the silky texture of the egg ribbons. It should be gently sweet, aromatic from the ginger, with a smooth, comforting quality. Each spoonful should be soothing and satisfying.
17. Tips for Success
The temperature of the soup when adding eggs is crucial. It must be at a rolling boil for the eggs to form ribbons rather than sinking and making the soup cloudy. Don’t reduce the heat before adding the eggs. Rock sugar creates a cleaner, more refined sweetness than granulated sugar. It’s sold in large, irregular chunks at Asian grocery stores. You can break it into smaller pieces with a mallet or the back of a heavy knife. Fresh ginger is essential and cannot be substituted with ground ginger powder. The fresh slices add the right amount of warming flavor without making the soup spicy. The beating technique matters. Beat the eggs just until combined and uniform. Overbeating creates too much foam which will make your soup less clear. Underbeating leaves streaks that create uneven ribbons. The pouring height and speed creates different textures. Pouring from higher creates longer, more delicate ribbons. Pouring closer creates thicker strands. Experiment to find your preferred style. The circular stirring motion while pouring is what distributes the egg evenly and creates beautiful ribbons. If you just pour without stirring, the egg will clump in one area. Adding a pinch of salt to the eggs might seem odd for a sweet soup, but it enhances all the flavors and helps the egg proteins set more smoothly, creating silkier ribbons. For variation, some people add osmanthus flowers for floral fragrance, longan for extra sweetness and nutrition, or a few wolfberries for color and health benefits. These are all optional. Egg tong sui is considered nourishing in Chinese medicine. The combination of eggs, ginger, and sugar is thought to be warming and strengthening, particularly good for new mothers or people recovering from illness. The amount of ginger can be adjusted to taste. More ginger creates a spicier, more warming soup. Less ginger makes it milder and sweeter. Three slices is a balanced middle ground. Sweet wine or rice wine is traditional but optional. It adds depth without making the soup taste alcoholic. If avoiding alcohol, simply omit it. The soup will still be delicious. Some recipes add a small piece of dried tangerine peel along with the ginger for extra citrus aroma and traditional medicinal benefits. Leftover egg tong sui can be refrigerated and reheated gently, though the texture of the egg ribbons changes slightly. It’s best fresh. For a richer version, some people replace part of the water with coconut milk or add a splash of evaporated milk at the end. This creates a creamier, more indulgent version. The clear appearance of the soup is considered elegant and shows proper technique. Cloudiness indicates the eggs weren’t added to hot enough liquid or were overstirred. This dessert soup is often served at the end of dim sum meals or as a light dessert after rich dinners. The gentle sweetness and warmth cleanse the palate. In Hong Kong and Cantonese cuisine, tong sui refers to any sweet soup or liquid dessert. There are hundreds of varieties, but egg tong sui is one of the simplest and most comforting. Don’t use too many eggs or the soup becomes too rich and the egg overwhelms the delicate balance. Three eggs for four cups of water creates the perfect ratio. Some modern versions add a drop of vanilla extract for extra aroma, though this isn’t traditional. A tiny amount can enhance the subtle flavors.
