Cantonese Sweet Corn Chowder

Spices of Life, p. 82

SOUP BASE:

5 ears sweet corn, husked, or 2 ½ cups thawed frozen corn

1/3 cup rice wine or sake

6 cups chicken broth

¼ pound boneless, skinless chicken meat

3 tablespoons water

¾ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 cake silken tofu (about ½ pound), carefully cut into small dice

1 ¼ teaspoons salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons minced scallion greens for garnish

First bring the Soup Base to a boil in a nonaluminum pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes. 

So far we're pretty to-the-letter. (Although I used frozen corn.)

Scoop out the corn or strain the broth, let cool, and cut the kernels from the ears, saving the kernels.

Second chop the chicken meat, using a food processor fitted with a steel blade, to a coarse paste. With the machine still running, pour the water and toasted sesame oil through the feed tube and blend together. Scoop the minced chicken into a bowl.

I was NOT about to put raw meat through my nice food chopper, though. I just diced the chicken up really small and marinated it in the sesame oil while I cooked other things.

Third if you are using ears of corn, puree the kernels in the food processor, adding a little of the soup liquid. Scrape the corn paste back into the pot with the soup. Heat over medium heat and then slowly add the chicken bits, mixing with a whisk to cook evenly. Heat until boiling, lower the heat, cook for about 1 ½ minutes, then carefully add the tofu pieces. When they are hot, add the salt and mix. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkling a little of the minced scallion greens on top of each bowl. 

I also used about twice the tofu the recipe called for because I felt weird only using half of the package I bought.

Serve immediately. 

Despite all my deviance, this was QUITE yummy!

My Rating: 4/5 "Nice light flavors with enough substance to keep you more full than a lot of soups. Loved the sake/chicken broth base and enjoyed the fusion elements like using tofu instead of noodles. Cheery stuff!"