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Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

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4.3 from 8 reviews

Hot and Sour Soup is a classic Chinese dish known for its bold, tangy, and spicy flavors combined with a silky texture from egg ribbons. This recipe features a flavorful chicken stock base enriched with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu, thickened with a cornstarch slurry, and finished with a splash of vinegar for a deliciously balanced taste. Perfect as a starter or light meal, this soup is quick to prepare and serves six.

Ingredients

Soup Base

  • 1/2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 3 dried red chilis (or 1 tsp of red pepper flakes)
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp msg
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce (low sodium)
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Main Ingredients

  • 12 oz mushrooms (sliced; combination of wood ear, shiitake, and king oyster mushrooms)
  • 4 oz bamboo shoots (sliced)
  • 6 oz firm tofu (cut into 1″ pieces)

Thickening & Eggs

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 3 eggs (beaten)

Finishing Touches

  • 3 tbsp distilled white vinegar
  • 2 green onions (chopped)
  • 1 scallion (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Infuse Oil: Heat a wok or heavy bottomed pot over medium heat and add 1/2 tablespoon of neutral oil. Add the dried red chilis and sauté for 1 minute until they darken slightly and release their flavor into the oil. Remove the chilis to prevent bitterness.
  2. Prepare Broth: In the same pot, increase heat to medium-high and pour in the chicken stock. Season with white pepper, sugar, msg, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil, stirring well to combine all the flavors.
  3. Add Main Ingredients: Add the sliced mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu to the broth. Stir gently to combine, then cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil.
  4. Thicken Soup: In a separate bowl, mix the water and cornstarch to make a smooth slurry. Uncover the pot and slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the boiling soup, stirring continuously until the broth thickens to a silky consistency.
  5. Create Egg Ribbons: Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly to a temperature between 150°F and 160°F. Slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the soup in a steady stream while stirring gently with a ladle to form delicate egg ribbons throughout the soup.
  6. Finish and Serve: Stir in the distilled white vinegar and chopped green onions to finish the soup. Garnish with chopped scallion before serving hot.

Notes

  • Adjust the amount of dried chilis or red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
  • Using a combination of mushrooms adds depth of flavor and texture to the soup.
  • Ensure the soup cools to the right temperature before adding eggs to avoid scrambling.
  • White vinegar is key for the characteristic tangy flavor of hot and sour soup.
  • This soup can be made vegetarian by substituting chicken stock with vegetable broth and omitting MSG if preferred.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/hot-and-sour-soup-recipe/