Fish Maw Soup (鱼肚汤)

I don't know why but during the Chinese New Year, I always want to cook a pot of fish maw soup or bamboo fungus soup (竹笙).  I added bean curd sticks, shrimps, mushrooms and eggs into the soup.  I did not thicken the soup with starches but tried it with beaten eggs instead.

Is there any benefits of eating fish maw?  I did a search and it said fish maw is an excellent source of collagen.  Just like what the Chinese believe the collagen of chicken feet and pig trotter would give you a beautiful skin.  It is said to help with blood circulation and improve your skin.  Do you know any other benefits besides what I had mentioned?

I didn't give out the amount so that you can cook according to how many people you are serving.

Ingredients:

Fish Maw/ 鱼肚, soften in warm water.  Blanch it hot water, set aside (to remove oil).
Shrimps/ 虾, cut in half and smash it with your cleaver
Button mushrooms/ 白蘑菇, wash and thinly sliced
Fuk Juk/ dried bean curd sticks/ 腐竹, soften in warm water and cut into small pieces
Eggs/ 蛋, lightly beaten
Chicken stock/ 鸡汤 to suit
Scallion/ 葱, chopped
Sesame oil/ 香油
White pepper/ 白胡椒
Sea salt/ 海盐 to taste

Method:

In a large pot, add chicken stock and let it boil.  When boiling, add in dried bean curd sticks and mushrooms.  Let it boil.  Then add fish maw, let it boil.  Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes.  Add in shrimps.  When the shrimps turned pink, turn off the heat.  Swirl in beaten eggs.  Season to taste with sesame oil, white pepper and a touch of sea salt (if needed).

Serve in a bowl and garnish with chopped scallion.