because it is not only tasty and attractive to the eyes, but also relatively easy to make. In much of China, it is regarded as an easily-digestible comfort food suitable for those who are recovering from illness, much as chicken soup is in the West.
For those who wish not to make egg drop soup from scratch, egg drop soup mixes are commercially available. The cook only needs to add water and beaten egg. However, such preparations are usually very high in sodium and may be inferior in taste.
Egg drop soup is commonly served in Chinese, and sometimes other Asian, restaurants as a soup/appetizer.
Egg drops can also be applied to other soups to enhance their flavors. For example, egg drops can be formed in Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup, or in sweetened, boiling water to create a dessert.
In Japan, eggs are often dropped unscrambled as the topping for tsukimi udon or soba. The moon-like appearance of the whole yolk is responsible for the name, which means "moon viewing".
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