Recipe: Crab and Sweetcorn Soup (Chinese)

Crab & SweetCorn Soup
SERVES 4

A Classic Chinese or Oriental recipe which is superb if you can use good quality ingredients. The key here is simplicity. If you have bought the crab meat ready prepared, and you already have some chicken stock, then it will take very little time to cook. We are told that an experienced crab picker will take 3 minutes to prepare a crab, it takes us about three quarters of an hour.

2 Pints (1.2 Litres) of Chicken Stock
8 oz (225 g) Fresh White Crab Meat
8 oz (225 g) Sweetcorn
2 Heaped Teaspoons of Ginger Finely Chopped
4 Spring Onions Chopped
4 Teaspoons of Cornflour
1 Tablespoon of Light Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine (Or Dry Sherry)
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Egg white Lightly Beaten

Try and keep the pieces of crab meat as large as you can, and if you are using tinned sweetcorn, use the plain variety, not creamed.

Put the chicken stock in a large pan and bring to the boil. If you are using fresh sweetcorn kernels, add them now and simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix the cornflour with a small amount of water until it forms a smooth paste, then add it to the chicken stock, stir and allow to thicken.

If you are using tinned sweetcorn, drain and add it now, together with all the other ingredients. Season to taste and simmer for one minute.

Now slowly trickle the beaten egg white into the soup whilst stirring, so that it forms strands in the soup.

Serve.