Egg drop soup is a classic in Chinese cuisine. For this soup, a raw egg is swirled into a pot of simmering broth to create a textured soup rich in protein and in flavor. In the recipe below, a vegetarian broth is first thickened with sweet corn before adding an umami-rich mixture of egg and miso, for added depth.
Miso is a traditional Japanese fermented soybean product, often used to make its namesake miso soup. When combined with sweetcorn, it lends a richness to the soup that the whole family is sure to enjoy. Use fresh sweetcorn if you can: Not only will it have better flavor, but it will also add texture too. Cut the sweetcorn off the cob over a soup plate, and once all of the kernels have been removed, run the edge of your knife down the cob one last time. The milky juice that runs off will be a welcome addition to this soup.
Vegetarian Sweet Corn Egg Drop Soup
4
5 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1-inch knob ginger root
1 1/2 cups sweetcorn kernels
3 tablespoons yellow miso paste
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs
1 green onion tail, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
Place the vegetable broth and ginger in a pot, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, and allow it to infuse for 5 minutes.
Remove the ginger, and add the sweetcorn. Stir to combine, and use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired texture.
Stir in the miso paste, and bring the soup back to a boil. Immediately remove it from the heat.
Mix cornstarch with some soup water, and then add the mixture to the pot.
Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl. Stir the soup a few times in a clockwise direction, then slowly drizzle in the eggs, continuing to stir in the same direction. Stir continuously for 1 minute, until the eggs are cooked.
Serve in bowls garnished with green onion and black sesame seeds.