The combination of two veggies makes this a super summer soup: sweet corn and cauliflower!  

It’s not as heavy as traditional corn chowders, which often include heavy cream. The soup is made instead with canned creamed corn, which — despite its name — is not made with any dairy product. 

It gets its creaminess from the “milk” scraped from corn cobs, making it a low-fat, cholesterol-free alternative.

As another option, you can make your own corn milk (see last week’s “Very Veggie” column for that recipe).

Note that this recipe does include eggs, but they are easily replaced by a vegan egg substitute.

Creamy Corn and Cauliflower Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients:
• 1 (15-ounce) can creamed corn (or 2 cups homemade corn milk)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 1/2  tablespoons vegetable bouillon or mushroom seasoning
• 2 cups cauliflower florets, minced (or use frozen cauliflower rice) 
• 1 cup whole corn kernels (optional) 
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water to make a slurry
• 2 eggs (for a vegan alternative, see note at the end)
• 3 stalks green onion, sliced
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine cream of corn, ginger, garlic, garlic salt, vegetable bouillon, cauliflower and corn kernels (if using) in a pot. Add water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat to medium.
Stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken soup.
Whisk eggs in a small bowl until blended. Stir the soup in one direction to create a whirlpool, then slowly pour in the beaten eggs a little at a time. Stirring in the same direction between pours keeps the eggs from clumping and will create long, thin strands. Garnish with green onions and a sprinkle of black pepper.
Serves 4.

Note:
It’s difficult to replicate the thin egg ribbons using an egg substitute. One option is to scramble 2 tablespoons of a liquid egg substitute in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook until about half-done; break up the cooked curds into small pieces. Add to finished soup. They’ll have a soft, silky texture. Another option is to replace the eggs with crumbled bean curd sheets. Stir them into the hot soup and let hydrate. The soup may also be made into a chowder without the eggs.

Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (includes eggs and optional whole corn kernels): 160 calories, 8 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 95 mg cholesterol, 1300 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 7 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.

The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.