Description
A comforting and flavorful Chinese Hot and Sour Soup recipe featuring a balance of tangy vinegar, spicy chili, and savory ingredients like tofu, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Perfect for a quick and healthy meal that’s easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth and Base
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
Vegetables and Tofu
- 1/2 cup sliced shiitake or wood ear mushrooms (fresh or dried and rehydrated)
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, sliced into thin strips
- 1/2 cup firm tofu, cut into small cubes
- 2 green onions, sliced
Seasonings and Sauces
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional, for heat)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Thickening and Garnish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: In a medium pot, combine the chicken broth and water and bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Add vegetables: Add the sliced mushrooms and bamboo shoots to the boiling broth, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Incorporate tofu and seasonings: Stir in the cubed tofu, soy sauce, rice vinegar, white pepper, and chili garlic sauce if using, then continue simmering the soup for another 3 minutes.
- Thicken the soup: Stir the cornstarch slurry to recombine, then slowly add it to the soup while stirring continuously. Let the soup simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until it slightly thickens.
- Add egg ribbons: With the soup simmering, stir it in a circular motion and slowly drizzle in the lightly beaten egg, creating silky egg ribbons throughout the soup.
- Finish and serve: Turn off the heat, stir in the sesame oil, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve the soup hot.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and omit the egg or replace it with a plant-based egg substitute.
- Add cooked shredded chicken or pork for extra protein if desired.
- Adjust the vinegar and chili garlic sauce quantities to suit your preferred sourness and heat levels.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
