Hot and Sour Soup
This hot and sour soup is tangy, a little spicy, thick enough to coat a spoon, and loaded with mushrooms, tofu, and silky egg ribbons. It hits every note you want from a bowl of Chinese comfort food, coming together faster than takeout delivery with adjustable spice and simple pantry staples.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy soup pot wide and heavy pot
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small mixing bowl for cornstarch slurry
- Ladle
- Fine-mesh strainer for rehydrating mushrooms
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth for a lighter option
- 4 ounces boneless pork loin about 113g, cut into thin matchsticks
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms 5 if smaller, rehydrated and sliced thin
- 1/4 cup wood ear mushrooms rehydrated and sliced thin
- 1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots cut into thin strips
- 1 firm or soft tofu about 14 ounces or 397g, cut into thin strips
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch divided, plus more if needed for thickening
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce optional, for color
- 1/4 cup Chinkiang black vinegar or rice vinegar as a substitute
- 1 teaspoon white pepper to taste, up to 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- green onions 2 stalks, thinly sliced, for garnish
- chili oil optional, for extra heat
Instructions
- Rehydrate dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in warm water for 20-30 minutes. Drain, squeeze out excess water, trim stems from shiitake, and slice both thinly.
- Slice pork loin into matchstick strips against the grain. Toss with 1 teaspoon cornstarch and a splash of water. Cut bamboo shoots and tofu into thin strips. Lightly beat eggs and slice green onions for garnish.
- Bring chicken broth to a gentle boil in a large pot. Add sliced shiitake, wood ear mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to release flavors.
- Add cornstarch-coated pork to the pot, stirring to separate pieces. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until pork is opaque and cooked through.
- Stir in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, black vinegar, and white pepper. Add tofu strips gently and simmer 2 more minutes to meld flavors.
- Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Pour slurry into simmering soup while stirring continuously until thickened to a glossy consistency.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir soup to create a whirlpool and slowly drizzle beaten eggs from a height of 6 inches. Let set 10-15 seconds, then gently fold through to form ribbons.
- Turn off heat, stir in sesame oil. Ladle into bowls and top with green onions and chili oil if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Add vinegar toward the end of cooking so its bright tang doesn't cook off.
- Taste and adjust seasoning gradually rather than dumping everything in at once.
- Use cold water for your cornstarch slurry so it doesn't clump.
- Pour beaten egg in slowly for delicate ribbons instead of scrambled chunks.
- Rehydrate dried mushrooms ahead of time to save active cooking time.
- Keep soup at a gentle simmer once thickened, since a hard boil can break the starch.
- For a vegetarian version: skip the pork and use vegetable broth.
- For extra spicy: add extra chili oil or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Soup thickens as it sits; add a splash of broth when reheating.
- This soup freezes well for up to 2 months, though tofu texture may soften slightly upon thawing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 12gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!