Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and sour soup brings a delightful mix of earthy mushrooms, silky tofu, and crunchy bamboo shoots in a flavorful broth that warms you up instantly. The balance of spices and textures makes each spoonful a comforting delight.

Course Soup

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword Asian cuisine, comfort food, easy recipe, hot and sour, vegetarian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 150kcal

Author Liza Agbanlog

Ingredients

6-8 dried Chinese mushrooms
10 dried black fungus optional
1 454 g pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into strips
6 cups vegetable broth
1 227 ml can sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed, drained and sliced into thinner strips
100 g 3.5 oz fresh enoki mushrooms, bottom stems trimmed
1 medium carrot peeled and finely julienned
3 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar plus more if necessary
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chili oil
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 large egg beaten (optional)

Instructions

Cover the dried mushrooms and fungus in hot water in separate bowls for about 30 minutes to soften.
Drain and remove the tough stems from the mushrooms: slice the caps into fine matchstick-size shreds.
If using, drain the fungus and cut away the hard nibs: cut the fungus into fine shreds.
In a large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil over high heat.
Add the tofu, shredded mushrooms, fungus, bamboo shoots, enoki mushrooms and carrot.
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the water and slowly mix into the soup, stirring well.
When the soup returns to a boil and has slightly thickened, add soy sauce, rice vinegar, green onions, ginger, chili oil, sesame oil and white pepper.
If the soup is not spicy enough, add more vinegar, chili oil and ginger, to taste.
If the soup is not thick enough (I like my soup really thick), slowly add cornstarch mixture (1/4 cup cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water) to the soup until the right consistency has been reached,
Remove from heat and if desired, add egg, slowly pouring in a thin stream, stirring the soup in a circular motion.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe was adapted from Save on Foods’ Fall/Winter 2002 issue of“Appeal”.

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