Sweet Corn and Chicken Soup

4 cobs sweet corn
1 small white onion
1 garlic clove
5cm knob ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup shao hsing wine or dry sherry
7 cups light Chinese chicken stock
200g free range chicken breast, cut widthways into 1cm slices
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely sliced spring onions


1. Remove kernels from corn cobs by running a sharp knife down the sides of each cob - you should have about 3 cups of corn kernels. Peel and finely dice onion and garlic. Peel ginger and cut into thin slices and then into fine strips (julienne) - you should have about 2 tablespoons ginger julienne.

2. Heat oil in a medium-seized heavy-based pot and sauté onion, ginger, garlic and salt for 1 minute. Add wine of sherry and simmer for a further minute or until liquid has reduced by half. Stir in corn and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. During the cooking time you may need to skim the surface of the soup occasionally to remove any impurities.

3. Stir through chicken and soy sauce and simmer for a further minute. Lower heat an dslowly pour beaten egg into soup in a thin stream, stirring constantly with a fork. Remove soup from the stove as soon as you see the egg forming fine 'ribbons'.

4. Serve soup in bowls and garnish with spring onions.

From Kylie Kwong's Simple Chinese Cooking.