Hot and Sour Soup
A robust Chinese soup that balances the tang of black vinegar with the heat of white pepper, loaded with tofu, mushrooms, and silky egg ribbons. It is the perfect cold-weather comfort bowl.
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 4 oz firm tofu, cut into thin strips
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
- ½ cup bamboo shoots, cut into thin strips
- ¼ cup wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced
- 3 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp chili oil or chili flakes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 stalks green onion, sliced
Method
- Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu strips. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the soy sauce, black vinegar, white pepper, chili oil, and sugar. Taste and adjust the balance of sour, salty, and spicy to your preference.
- Give the cornstarch slurry a stir, then pour it into the simmering soup while stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes until the soup thickens to a silky consistency.
- With the soup at a gentle simmer, slowly drizzle in the beaten egg in a thin stream while stirring the soup in one direction. The egg will form delicate ribbons.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced green onions. Serve immediately.
Chef's note: Chinkiang (Zhenjiang) black vinegar is essential for authentic flavor -- regular rice vinegar is not a good substitute. Add more white pepper for extra heat or more vinegar for extra tang. Dried lily buds are a traditional addition.
Nutrition per serving
165kcal
12gprotein
14gcarbs
7gfat
Cook it with Cooksmith
Step-by-step cooking mode with timers, automatic grocery lists and meal planning — free.
Open Cooksmith