Description
Hot and sour soup from China delights diners with complex layers of tangy and spicy flavors. Hearty ingredients and simple cooking techniques create a comforting meal that warms you to the core.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups (1.4 L) chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian version)
- 1 cup shiitake or button mushrooms (sliced)
- ½ cup bamboo shoots (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup firm tofu (cut into thin strips)
- 1 egg (lightly beaten, for egg ribbons)
- 2 tbsps soy sauce
- 2 tbsps rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (or Sriracha, adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsps cornstarch + ¼ cup water (for thickening slurry)
- 2 green onions (chopped, for garnish)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp white pepper (for authentic heat!)
- 1 tsp sugar (balances flavors, optional)
Instructions
- Broth Preparation: Warm chicken broth in a large pot over medium heat, creating a foundational flavor base for the soup.
- Seasoning Fusion: Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and sugar into the simmering broth, developing a robust and intricate taste profile that balances heat, acidity, and sweetness.
- Flavor Infusion: Maintain a gentle simmer, allowing the seasonings to harmonize and deepen the soup’s complex flavor, creating a rich and aromatic liquid that promises a tantalizing culinary experience.
Notes
- Balance Spice Levels: Adjust chili garlic sauce carefully to control heat intensity, allowing personalized spiciness without overwhelming the delicate soup flavor.
- Whisk with Precision: Blend seasonings thoroughly and consistently to prevent ingredient separation and ensure an even, harmonious taste distribution throughout the broth.
- Temperature Control: Maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil to preserve ingredient textures and prevent overcooking of delicate components.
- Layer Flavor Gradually: Add seasonings incrementally and taste frequently, enabling you to build complexity while maintaining the soup’s authentic hot and sour profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg