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Hot and Sour Soup

Black bowl of Asian noodles topped with an egg

Hot and sour soup is a favourite on Chinese restaurant menus for good reason. It is peppery, tangy and silky, filled with mushrooms, tofu and ribbons of egg. Making it at home takes about 30 minutes and gives a bowl that is just as satisfying.

Why You Will Love This Hot and Sour Soup

  • A perfect balance of heat from pepper and tang from vinegar
  • Light, low in calories and easy to make
  • Great for chilly days or when you have a cold

Ingredient Notes

White pepper: Gives the signature warm heat. Rice vinegar: Adds mellow sourness. Cornflour slurry: Gives the soup its silky, glossy body. Egg: Poured in a thin stream, it forms delicate ribbons.

Tips for Restaurant-Style Soup

Slice the vegetables thin so they cook quickly. Add the vinegar and white pepper gradually and taste, because the balance is personal. For perfect egg ribbons, lower the heat and pour the egg slowly while stirring gently in one direction.

Serving and Variations

Serve piping hot with fried rice or noodles. For extra flavour, add rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms. Make it vegan by leaving out the egg and using vegetable stock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes hot and sour soup both hot and sour?

White pepper provides the heat, while rice vinegar gives the sourness. Balancing them is the key, so taste and adjust at the end.

How do I get the silky egg ribbons?

Slowly drizzle beaten egg into the gently simmering soup while stirring in one direction. Do not let the soup boil hard, or the egg will break up into small pieces.

What thickens the soup?

A cornflour (corn starch) slurry, stirred into the simmering broth, gives the soup its characteristic slightly thick, glossy body.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes. Use vegetable stock and add tofu, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. It is just as flavourful with the pepper and vinegar balance.

Which mushrooms are best?

Shiitake gives the deepest flavour, but button or oyster mushrooms also work. Dried shiitake, soaked first, adds extra savouriness.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. The soup keeps for two to three days in the refrigerator. Add the egg and finish with vinegar and pepper after reheating for the best flavour.

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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Cooking Method:
Cuisine:
Courses:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 4
Estimated Cost: 5
Calories: 90
Best Season: Fall, Winter
Dietary: Dairy-Free, Low-Fat, Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Description
Hot and sour soup is a classic Chinese soup that balances the heat of white pepper with the tang of rice vinegar in a silky, lightly thickened broth. It is filled with mushrooms, tofu, carrot and delicate ribbons of egg. This recipe gives the exact seasoning balance and the egg-ribbon technique for a restaurant-style bowl in 30 minutes.
Ingredients (serves 4)
    Soup Base
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock (hot)
  • 100 g mushrooms (thinly sliced)
  • 1 medium carrot (cut into matchsticks)
  • 100 g firm tofu (cut into thin strips)
    • Seasoning and Thickener
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons cornflour (mixed with 4 tablespoons cold water)
    • To Finish
  • 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
  • 2 whole spring onions (thinly sliced)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
  1. 1
    Slice the MushroomsWipe the 100 g of mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and slice them as thinly as you can, about 3 mm thick.
    Tip: Slice the vegetables thin so they cook quickly. Wipe the mushrooms rather than washing them, as they soak up water.
  2. 2
    Cut the Carrot into MatchsticksPeel the carrot and cut it into thin matchsticks, about 5 cm long and 3 mm thick.
    Tip: Cut the carrot to the same thickness as the mushrooms so everything cooks at the same speed.
  3. 3
    Cut the Tofu into StripsPat the 100 g of firm tofu dry with paper towels and cut it into thin strips about 5 mm wide and 5 cm long.
    Tip: Handle the tofu gently so it does not crumble. Firm tofu holds its shape better than soft or silken.
  4. 4
    Slice the Spring Onions and Beat the EggThinly slice the 2 spring onions. Lightly beat the 1 egg with a fork in a small jug, so it is easy to pour in a thin stream later.
    Tip: Beat the egg just until the white and yolk are combined. A jug with a spout gives you much better control for the ribbons.
  5. 5
    Make the Cornflour SlurryIn a small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons of cornflour into 4 tablespoons of cold water until completely smooth, with no lumps at the bottom.
    Tip: Always mix cornflour with cold water. Hot liquid makes it clump instantly.
  6. 6
    Measure the SeasoningsIn another small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon of white pepper.
    Tip: Mixing the seasonings first means they go in all at once, so the soup stays at the same temperature. White pepper gives the traditional heat of this soup.
  7. 7
    Bring the Stock to a BoilPour the 4 cups of hot stock into a large pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
    Tip: Using hot stock helps the soup come to a boil faster, which keeps the vegetables from overcooking.
  8. 8
    Cook the Mushrooms and CarrotAdd the sliced mushrooms and carrot matchsticks. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 4 minutes, until they are just tender.
    Tip: The carrot should still have a slight bite. Overcooked vegetables make the soup look dull.
  9. 9
    Add the Tofu and SeasoningsAdd the tofu strips and pour in the bowl of soy sauce, rice vinegar and white pepper. Stir gently and simmer for 2 minutes.
    Tip: Stir gently with a spoon, folding rather than stirring, so the tofu keeps its shape.
  10. 10
    Thicken the SoupStir the cornflour slurry again, then pour it into the soup in a steady stream while stirring. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the soup turns glossy and lightly thickened, enough to coat the back of a spoon.
    Tip: Stir the slurry again just before pouring because cornflour settles. The soup should be silky, not gloopy.
  11. 11
    Make the Egg RibbonsReduce the heat to low so the soup is barely simmering. Stir the soup gently in one direction to make a slow swirl, then slowly pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream from a height of about 15 cm. Leave it to set for 20 seconds before stirring.
    Tip: Do not stir vigorously or the egg will break into small bits. The slow swirl pulls the egg into long, silky ribbons.
  12. 12
    Taste and AdjustTaste the soup. Add a little more rice vinegar for more tang or a pinch more white pepper for more heat, stirring and tasting each time.
    Tip: Add the vinegar and pepper gradually and taste as you go. The soup should taste equally hot and sour.
  13. 13
    Finish with Sesame OilTurn off the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and half of the sliced spring onions.
    Tip: Sesame oil loses its aroma when cooked for a long time, so it is added at the very end.
  14. 14
    Serve HotLadle into warm bowls, sprinkle with the remaining spring onions and serve immediately.
    Tip: The soup tastes best fresh, but leftovers keep for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently and do not boil, so the egg ribbons stay silky.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 90kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3.5g6%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Cholesterol 47mg16%
Sodium 950mg40%
Potassium 250mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 8g3%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Sugars 2g
Protein 6g12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note
Add vinegar and pepper at the end to taste. Pour the egg in a thin stream while stirring gently for the best ribbons. For a deeper flavour add a few rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms and a splash of their soaking water. The soup tastes best fresh, but leftovers keep for 2 days in the refrigerator.
Keywords: hot and sour soup, Chinese soup, mushroom tofu soup
Read it online: https://gettoknow.in/recipe/hot-and-sour-soup/