Hot and Sour Soup Leave a comment

Hot and sour soup is a classic, popular, Chinese soup full of tofu, vegetables, and so much flavor. It’s usually served at the start of a Chinese meal, but it’s also super filling as a main.

Are you a soup person? I LOVE soup. Especially soup with things in it. Forget simple broths, soup with fillings is where it’s at. And this hot and sour soup has ALL the fillings: umami rich mushrooms, soft tofu and silky egg ribbons all in glossy, satisfying bowl. This hot and sour soup will blow your mind.

What is hot and sour soup?
Hot and sour soup is a classic Chinese soup that’s savory, spicy, and just the right amount of tangy. It’s filled with mushrooms, tofu, and silky ribbons of egg. It’s both a take-out favorite and a staple at Beijing or Sichuan restaurants.

What makes it hot and sour?

The hot, aka spice, comes from white pepper and the sour comes from Chinese black vinegar. That’s it! Two simple ingredients that combine into so much more. Add these two ingredients right before you serve so their aroma and flavor is at the forefront. As the person eating the soup, when you stir it you get a burst of delicious smells, prepping you for a flavor bomb. There are a ton of recipes out there that use hot sauce and white vinegar for the hot and sour, but if you want to be authentic, white pepper and Chinese black vinegar is the way to go.

How to make hot and sour soup

1. Rehydrate your mushrooms and marinate the pork. Start off by soaking some dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water and marinating slices of pork with a bit of shaoxing wine and salt.
2. Simmer the soup. Bring chicken stock, soy sauce, ginger to a simmer and add in the marinated pork, shiitake mushrooms, and cubed tofu.
3. Cornstarch slurry. When the soup is at a simmer, it’s time to thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with a bit of cold water and slowly stream into the simmering soup. Let it come back up to a simmer.
4. Eggs. Once the soup is thick and bubbly, whisk in lightly beaten eggs to create silky, delicate egg ribbons.
5. Season and serve. Stir in white pepper for the hot and vinegar for the sour. Enjoy!