Asparagus soup with chicken and mushrooms

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 120 g chicken breast, without skin and bones, frozen
• 1 tbsp soy sauce, light
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 egg white, size S
• 1 tbsp tapioca flour
• 1 can asparagus pieces, white
• 400 g chicken stock (jar)
• 3 m.-large shiitake mushroom(s), dried
• 30 g mung bean sprouts
• Salt and pepper, red
• 2 tsp spring onion(s), green part only
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil, dark

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

A spicy spring soup, here with year-round ingredients. Recipe from Szechuan, China.

Cut the thawed chicken breast into 6 mm thick slices across the grain (best done using a bread and sausage slicer). Halve the slices crosswise. Mix the marinade ingredients together, cover, and marinate the chicken pieces at room temperature for 1 hour. Strain and drain well before use. Strain the asparagus pieces and drain well. Heat the chicken stock and soak the shiitake mushrooms in it for 25 minutes. Sort the mung bean sprouts, rinse them, and set aside. To garnish, slice the spring onions into thin rings. Gently press the mushrooms into the stock. Cut the caps into thumbnail-sized pieces and discard the tough stems. Add to the soup along with the mung bean sprouts and asparagus pieces and heat through, but do not boil! To stir-fry, heat the sunflower oil in a wok until very hot. Add the drained chicken pieces and stir-fry for 1 minute. Immediately add to the soup with the oil. Drizzle the sesame oil into the soup. Season to taste with salt and red pepper. Garnish with the spring onions, serve in a bowl, and enjoy.