Sweetcorn and chicken soup

Preparation Time20 mins
Cooking Time60 mins
Serves4
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

For the soup

1 leek, green parts too if you have 'em, sliced in half, thoroughly washed

1 carrot, chopped in half

7cm hunk fresh ginger

1 tsp whole coriander seeds

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

2 chicken breasts on the bone, with skin

3 (400g) tins creamed corn

2 chicken stock cubes, crumbled

3 tbsps finely chopped ginger

4 spring onions, chopped finely, white and green parts (reserve some green for final garnish)

1 tsp sesame oil

56g corn flour

60ml cold water

2 egg whites

1 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soy sauce, for serving

Cook's Tools: Cheesecloth

Method

1) Pour 2.25L water into a big stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat. While it's coming to temp, throw in the leek, carrot and hunk of ginger. Place the coriander and peppercorns into a small square of cheesecloth. Tie with kitchen string and add to the pot.

2) Skin the chicken breasts, remove any excess fat and throw the chicken breasts into the pot. Allow the whole lot to come to a boil, and then turn it down and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked and tender, 20-30 minutes.

3) Remove the chicken and allow to cool. Strain the stock and discard the leeks, carrots, ginger and cheesecloth sachet.

4) Return the stock to medium heat. Add the creamed corn, bouillon cubes, ginger-garlic paste, spring onions and sesame oil. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer while you remove the chicken from the bone and shred finely using a fork (or you can just slice it really thinly.)

5) Turn up the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the corn flour with the water until smooth. Add half to the soup whilst stirring. Allow to boil until it's thickened to the soup consistency of your liking (if it doesn't thicken, add the remaining slurry.)

6) Turn the heat back down to medium. In another small bowl, beat the egg whites with a little water. Stir the soup in circles as you add the egg whites in a steady stream; it should form pretty white wisps on the surface of the soup.

7) Add the shredded chicken and rice vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing everything to warm through. Taste for seasoning.

Serve with a splash of soy sauce and some of the reserved spring onion greens.

Sweetcorn and chicken soup