Egg Drop Soup (China)

4 cups fresh or canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger root (optional)
White pepper, to taste
2 eggs
1 scallion (green onion, spring onion) green and
    white part, very thinly sliced

Bring the chicken broth to a boil over moderate heat. Mix the cornstarch with the water and stir it into the broth. Add the soy sauce, optional ginger, and pepper. Return the soup to a boil and remove from heat. Beat the eggs slightly, so that they are broken up but the yolks and the whites are not completely mixed together. Slowly pour the eggs into the soup while gently stirring to form long threads of the eggs. Divide the scallion slices between the individual serving bowls and ladle the soup over them.

Serves 4 to 6.