Hot and Sour Soup
Hot and Sour Soup is a savory, tangy, and spicy broth-based soup.It features vegetables, tofu, and sometimes meat in a thickened broth.The soup is both comforting and stimulating to the palate.Perfect as a starter, it prepares the appetite for the main course.
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup mushrooms (shiitake or button), sliced
- ½ cup bamboo shoots, julienned
- ½ cup firm tofu, thin strips
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or black vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon chili oil (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the broth in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu; simmer for 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper, and chili oil.
- Slowly add the cornstarch slurry, stirring until slightly thickened.
- Gently drizzle in the beaten egg while stirring to create egg ribbons.
- Finish with sesame oil, adjust seasoning, and garnish with green onions before serving.
Notes
- Black vinegar gives the most authentic flavour.
- White pepper is essential for traditional heat.
- Adjust vinegar and pepper to your taste balance.
- Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- Serve hot for best flavor.