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Saturday, April 20, 2013

Recipe: Healthy Chinese ABC Soup with Sweet Corn

One of the soups my mum would often make for us when we were growing up was ABC Soup. ABC Soup is a clear soup which is light and easy to drink, and is usually found as part of a Chinese meal. I've always wondered how it got that name, and apparently it is named so because by drinking this soup, you are getting your Vitamins A, B and C (plus all the other nutrients).

Chinese ABC Soup with Sweet Corn


My kids also enjoy drinking ABC soup, so I make this quite often for them. Although it is a clear soup, it is very flavorful thanks to all the different vegetables used. I do vary the ingredients I put in, depending on their availability in the fridge but the most common ones that I use are carrots, onions, tomato, peanut, potato and corn. Sometimes, I would use green apples too.  Tomatoes are high in lycopene, which is high in anti-oxidants, vitamin A and C, carrots are good for the eyesight (vitamin A), and cooked sweetcorn has anti-cancer properties.



Chinese soups are so easy to make as well, just dump all the ingredients in the pot and let it simmer for 2 1/2 -3 hours. I use chicken breast since it's much leaner resulting in a less oily soup. If you choose to use other chicken parts or even pork ribs, just skim the excess oil when soup is ready. Another good thing about ABC soup besides being very nutritious is that you can eat all the lovely vegetables with your soup too - no wastage!


Chinese ABC Soup with Sweet Corn
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 1/2 - 3 hours
Serves 5-6

Ingredients
450g chicken (I use chicken breast)
2 litre water
2 red tomatoes, quartered
4 large onions, quartered
2 potatoes, cut into thick chunks
50g peanut, soaked for 1 hour 
2 carrots, cut into thick chunks
1 sweet corn, cut into 4
Salt, to taste


1. Place ingredients into a large pot and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Season with a little salt. 

2. Ladle into soup bowls and serve hot.






*I am submitting this recipe to my friend Esther of Copycake Kitchen's Little Thumbs Up "Corn" event.

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22 comments:

  1. I wonder when will I have the chance to try yr ABc soup...;P hahahaha...

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  2. my gf likes to cook this kind of soup too! :)

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  3. I love ABC soup! It's one of the soups we will cook at home. But I have never tried to use peanuts or apple before. I like to add a bit of peppercorns.

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  4. Oh? So this is ABC soup. Oh? All the vitamins eh? I thought maybe it is as easy as ABC to cook it and that's why it is thus called. I know the western alphabet soup only...

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  5. wow, this brings back some childhood memories for me. it's been many years since i had abc soup! nice! :D

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  6. I cook this very often too, full of nutritious from A-Z, hehehe..

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  7. Easy and healthy soup! Good for all, from young to old.

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  8. Lovely soup! Sometimes I would cook this soup too! Yum!

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  9. Light and refreshing soup ! I can see your reflection on that spoon lol

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  10. This looks so healthy...ABC soup..love the name, I am sure kids will enjoy it. Will try for my little girl

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  11. Just bought some fresh corn! Totally making this today. =)

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  12. This reminds me of a Filipino soup with meat or prawns, tomatoes and corn. Indeed refreshing yet satisfying. It is so good to eat healthy food like this.

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  13. I haven't ever tried clear soup, but this looks very healthy and delicious, I think I will soon!

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  14. What a catchy name! We sometimes get something similar at the beginning of a Chinese banquet :D

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  15. This is one of my family's favorite soup. Very taste and nutritious!
    Yen, thank you for sharing with LTU.

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  16. This is one of my favorite Chinese soup!

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  17. This is a healthy and simple bowl of comfort food!

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  18. Hi Yen,

    Totally agree with you that this soup is very nutritious! I remember a lot of ABC soup cooking during Doreen's tomato LTU. Nice to know corn is adding lots of sweetness in this soup too :D

    Zoe

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  19. thanks for the recipe. following it now! =D

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  20. Can I dont add peanuts?

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  21. For My Soup, I Don't Add Peanuts and Corn, So the taste is a bit bland, Is There anything I can Add in to the soup so it taste flavourful

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Please drop any comments or questions you may have here. Thank you so much for reading!