Why You Will Love This Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
Hot and sour soup is the ultimate Chinese comfort soup. The magic lies in the balance of two opposing forces the vinegary sourness and the white pepper heat. When done right every spoonful warms you from the inside out with layers of texture from silky tofu tender mushrooms and crisp bamboo shoots.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chicken broth | 6 cups |
| Silken tofu | 200g |
| Wood ear mushrooms soaked | 1/2 cup |
| Shiitake mushrooms sliced | 4 |
| Bamboo shoots julienned | 1/2 cup |
| Pork or chicken thinly sliced | 100g |
| Egg | 1 |
| Chinkiang black vinegar | 3 tablespoons |
| White pepper | 1 teaspoon |
| Light soy sauce | 1 tablespoon |
| Cornstarch slurry | 3 tablespoons cornstarch + 4 tablespoons water |
| Sesame oil | 1 teaspoon |
| Green onions chopped | 2 stalks |
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Prepare all ingredients before heating the broth. Cut the tofu into thin matchsticks about 3cm long. Slice the soaked wood ear and shiitake mushrooms into thin strips. Julienne the bamboo shoots. Slice the pork into thin bite-sized pieces.
Step 2
Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the pork slices and cook for 2 minutes until no longer pink. Add the mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Simmer for 3 minutes.
Step 3
Add the tofu strips gently to avoid breaking them. Stir in soy sauce and white pepper. The white pepper is what gives this soup its distinctive heat black pepper has a completely different flavor profile and should not be substituted.
Step 4
Give the cornstarch slurry a final stir then drizzle it into the simmering soup while stirring continuously. The soup will thicken within 30 seconds. Adjust the consistency adding more slurry for a thicker soup or more broth to thin it out.
Step 5
Beat the egg in a small bowl. With the soup at a gentle simmer slowly drizzle the beaten egg in a thin stream while stirring the soup in one direction. The egg will form delicate ribbons. Do not stir too vigorously or the egg will break into small bits.
Step 6
Remove from heat immediately. Stir in the Chinkiang black vinegar and sesame oil. Taste and adjust the balance adding more vinegar for sourness or more white pepper for heat. Garnish with chopped green onions.
Pro Cooking Tips
- Chinkiang black vinegar is essential for authentic flavor. Regular vinegar lacks the complex fermented notes.
- White pepper is non-negotiable. It provides a different kind of heat that black pepper cannot replicate.
- Add the vinegar after removing from heat to preserve its acidity. Boiling vinegar diminishes its punch.
- For vegetarian version omit the meat and use vegetable broth with extra mushrooms for umami.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this soup as a starter before any Chinese meal or as a light lunch with spring rolls on the side. It is also the traditional companion to dumplings.
