West Lake Beef Soup Xi Hu Niu Rou GengWest 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 hencethe 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 meal6 oz (175 g) ground beef1/2 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sherry1/2 teaspoon sesame oil21/2 tablespoons cornstarch3 tablespoons water13/4 cups (425 ml) homemade Chicken Stock (page 31) or 1 can (14 oz/400 g)store-bought chicken broth11/2 cups (375 ml) water3 dashes white pepper1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste2 large eggs, lightly beaten1/3 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.