Sweet corn egg-drop soup

Serves 6 as a side dish or entree.

Ingredients

• 0.5 to 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 bunch spring onions, separated: white parts chopped finely and green parts sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 500 ml chicken stock, good quality
• 1 can sweet corn, separated: half the sweet corn as is, and half well-blended with water from the can
• 1 carrot, small dice
• 50 g chicken, chopped finely (or minced)
• A dash of soy sauce
• A pinch of salt
• 3-4 eggs, whisked
• A pinch of white pepper (substitute with black pepper)
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch or cornflour
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• A dash of sesame oil

You’ll also need

• A medium-sized saucepan or pot
• A hand-held blender (optional)

Method

1. Add oil to the bottom of your saucepan or pot and place on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the whites of the spring onions and stir until they turn translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger next and stir until fragrant.
2. Turn heat to low and add the chicken stock. Turn the heat back up to medium-high until the chicken stock bubbles. Once it bubbles, turn heat down until it stays at a gentle simmer.
3. Add the whole sweet corn, blended sweet corn, carrots, and chicken.
4. Cook until the soup returns to a gentle simmer and the chicken pieces are cooked. Top up with water as needed if you feel that the soupr has reduced too much. Adjust flavour to taste with soy sauce and salt, adding as much as you think you need.
5. To add the egg-drop streaks, nsure your soup is still at a gentle simmer, about medium-high heat. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, adding a dash of soy sauce and a pinch of salt. EHold the bowl with one hand and with your other hand, stir the soup in one direction–say clockwise–until the liquid becomes like a whirlpool. Whilst stirring, add the eggs to outer edges of the pan so it gets swirled in the whirlpool. Continue stirring until you’ve added all your eggs.
6. Add the pinch of white pepper and adjust the flavours with salt and soy sauce, adding as much as you think it needs. I prefer the soup to be savoury with a little bit of salty, balancing it with the sweetness of the corn.
7. When you are happy with the flavour, whisk the cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the soup whilst stirring, and allow the soup to come back to a boil. If the soup is still too think, add more cornstarch slurry to the soup, making sure you are continuously stirring the soup to avoid clumping.
8. Once you are happy with the thickness, take the soup off the heat and add a dash of sesame oil, stirring it in. Garnish with the sliced greens of the spring onions and serve immediately.

Notes

If you’re going to freeze or refrigirate the soup, wait until you are reheating the soup before adding in the cornstarch slurry.