Corn Egg Drop Soup (10-min)

Holding up a bowl of egg drop soup with corn.

5 from 4 votes

This authentic Corn Egg Drop Soup recipe is a quick and easy but delicious healthy Chinese soup that only takes 10 minutes to cook on the stovetop! Made with only simple ingredients that you can find in a regular grocery store, but so much better than takeout! You can also add tofu, noodles, chicken and dumplings.

Prep Time3

Cook Time12

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Cantonese, Chinese, Hong Kong

Servings: people

Calories: 137kcal

Author: Zen

Equipment

Large pot
Heat-proof ladle

Ingredients

2 Cups chicken stock Substitute: you can use well-seasoned homemade chicken broth, shopbought chicken stock, a chicken bouillon cube (½ chicken stock cube mixed in 2 Cups of water) or chicken stock powder. If you don't eat meat, you can substitute with a vegetable stock.
½ Cup canned corn Substitute: fresh corn but it would take longer obviously. I have tried cooking fresh corn in the soup and, with a chicken bouillon cube, using fresh corn cobs doesn't add a noticeable amount of flavor. (It does however reduce the amount of seasoning you need to add to homemade chicken broth.)
1 Tablespoon Water For mixing with the cornstarch below.
½ Tablespoon Cornstarch Mixed into 1 Tablespoon of water. (Known as cornflour in Asia) Mixed with water to make a slurry. You can substitute with tapioca flour mixed with water. I do not suggest omitting this as, otherwise, the soup will be too thin and taste like flavoured water.(Chinese soups are as much about texture as flavor.)
2 Eggs beaten till well-mixed. If you prefer seasoned eggs, add the tiniest pinch of salt and sesame oil when beating.
¼ teaspoon Salt to taste. If using a stock cube, you may be able to omit this. If using homemade chicken stock with no seasons, you may need more salt and some augr.
⅛ teaspoon Ground white pepper optional but gives the soup a slight warmth and a more authentic Chinese flavor. The flavor is strong so add a bit at a time.
⅛ teaspoon Ground turmeric this is not a traditional Chinese ingredient in egg drop soup but it makes the soup look much more golden and appetising! (If you don't use too much, it won't change the flavor of the soup.)
Sesame oil Drizzled as garnish
Scallions Sliced, as garnish

Instructions

Optional: heat oil in a wok or pot over high heat and when the oil is shimmering, add the corn kernels and briefly stir-fry. Continue to next step. (There will be a lot of oil sizzling and it may splatter on you so feel free to skip this step.)
Carefully pour chicken stock into the pot or wok and bring to the boil. (Again be careful of splatter.)
Note: Whilst the soup is coming to the boil, mix the cornstarch with water to make a cornstarch slurry.
Reduce the heat so the soup is at a gentle simmer. Slowly pour ½ the cornstarch slurry into the soup whilst simultaneously stirring in 1 direction, simmer for 2-3 minutes and taste.
If you find the soup not thick enough, repeat with the rest of the slurry. (I like the consistency when all the cornstarch has been added.)
Note: if you mixed the cornstarch slurry too long ago, there may be a bit of separation between the starch and water. Make sure to mix well before pouring into the soup.
After the soup is at the right consistency, slowly pour the beaten egg into the soup whilst stirring in 1 direction.
Note: this should be done almost immediately after the soup reaches the right consistency, as simmering longer will make the soup thicker.
Season to taste with the turmeric, white pepper and salt, if using.
Once all the egg has been added to the simmering soup, switch off the fire. Garnish with sliced spring onions and sesame oil.
Note: To retain the delicate texture of the eggs, avoid cooking them for too long. The eggs should cook almost instantly upon contact with the simmering broth.

Notes

Expert Tip: Ground white pepper and ground turmeric both clump very easily. Make sure the fine powders are not lumpy and slowly add to the soup whilst continuously stirring. (This is to prevent lumps of pepper or lumps of turmeric.)

Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its accuracy.

Nutrition