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Pakistani chicken corn soup
چکن کارن سوپ (chicken corn soup): thick street-cart chicken and sweetcorn soup with egg ribbons, chilli vinegar and soy
Come the first cold evening of winter, carts with steaming steel pots appear on Karachi's Tariq Road and Lahore's Liberty Market, and queues form for chicken corn soup in disposable cups. It is Pakistani-Chinese food at its most loved: a thick, glossy soup of shredded chicken, creamed sweetcorn and silky egg ribbons, which each person seasons at the cart with chilli vinegar, soy sauce and chilli sauce from squeezy bottles. Children love it plain; adults douse it. Pouring the egg into a rapidly boiling soup turns it into scrambled lumps, so keep it at a gentle simmer and stir slowly in one direction. Chef's tip: for a vegetarian version, use a good vegetable stock, leave out the chicken and add a handful of finely chopped carrot and cabbage.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the soup
- 10 ½ oz boneless chicken breast
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 cm piece fresh gingersliced
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 14 oz creamed sweetcorn1 tin
- 5 ½ oz sweetcorn kernels
- 1 tsp saltadjust to the stock
- 1 /2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp cornflourmixed with 100 ml cold water
- 2 eggsbeaten
For the chilli vinegar
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 3 green chilliesfinely chopped
To serve
- 4 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
- 4 tbsp chilli sauce (optional)
- 2 spring onions (optional)sliced
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix ½ cup white vinegar and 3 green chillies in a small bowl and leave to steep while you make the soup.
2 minStep 2: Put 10 ½ oz boneless chicken breast, 5 cups chicken stock, 2 cm piece fresh ginger and 2 cloves garlic in a pan, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (165°F in the thickest part).
15 minStep 3: Lift out the chicken, cool slightly and shred finely with two forks. Discard the ginger slices.
5 minStep 4: Return the chicken to the stock with 14 oz creamed sweetcorn, 5 ½ oz sweetcorn kernels, 1 tsp salt, 1 /2 tsp ground white pepper and 1 tsp sugar and bring back to a simmer.
5 minStep 5: Stir the 4 tbsp cornflour mixture, pour it in while stirring and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the soup is thick and glossy.
3 minStep 6: Turn the heat down so the soup barely bubbles. Pour in 2 eggs in a thin stream while stirring slowly in one direction, then leave for 1 minute until the egg sets into soft ribbons.
2 minStep 7: Ladle into cups and serve with the chilli vinegar, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 4 tbsp chilli sauce and 2 spring onions for everyone to add at the table.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pakistani chicken corn soup take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken breast?
- Boneless chicken thighs, same weight (a few minutes longer).
- What can I use instead of chicken stock?
- Vegetable stock, same amount.
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