Hot and Sour Soup
User Reviews
5
Hot and Sour Soup
Description
Hot and Sour Soup is prepared by simmering chicken stock with a bouquet garni of green onions, garlic, onion, and peppercorns to create a fragrant base reduced by one-third. Thinly sliced pork tenderloin is quickly cooked then combined with ginger, bamboo shoots, chile paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, white pepper, and sugar before being added back to the broth. Wood ear mushrooms, soaked and sliced thin, tofu cubes, and a cornstarch slurry are added to give body and texture.
The mixture is gently cooked to meld flavors with a balanced hot and sour profile from the red chile paste and rice vinegar. Just before serving, beaten eggs are slowly stirred in a circular motion, creating silky ribbons throughout the soup. Garnished with fresh green onions, the soup offers a comforting warmth from the spice and a slight tang from the vinegar. It features a combination of tender pork, soft tofu, and crunchy vegetables.
This soup is best served hot and can function as an appetizer or a light main dish. The layered flavors and textures make it a complete and satisfying dish on its own. Timing the egg addition carefully ensures the classic thread-like texture. Using fresh aromatics and carefully balancing seasoning are important steps for a successful result.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce woodear mushrooms
- 1 green onion cut into thirds, bunch
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1/2 yellow onion , quartered
- 12 black peppercorns
- 12 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 pound pork tenderloin , sliced thinly into 2" pieces
- 1 tablespoon ginger , grated
- 1 cup bamboo shoots , sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon red chile paste
- 1/2 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 pound tofu cubed, firm
- 2 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch , mixed into 1/4 cup water
- green onions , for garnish
Instructions
- Add the mushrooms to boiling water and let sit in a small bowl for 30 minutes before slicing very thinly and discarding any pieces that are still very tough.
- Add the green onions, garlic cloves, onion and peppercorns to a bouquet garni bag or to a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot with the chicken stock and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes until reduced by 1/3 (If you didn't use a bag, fish out the ingredients) then keep on low heat while you continue cooking.
- In a large skillet add the oil on medium-high heat and cook the pork tenderloin then remove from the pan and add in the ginger, bamboo shoots, chile paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, white pepper and sugar stirring well to combine and bring to a boil before moving the mixture to the dutch oven with the chicken stock.
- Add the mushrooms to the pot along with the tofu and the cornstarch/water mix and bring the heat back up to medium-low for 10 minutes.
- Stir the soup in a clock-wise direction at a slow speed and slowly pour in the eggs while whisking slowly to cook the egg while it also spreads out while it cooks (be careful not to let it cook in a giant puddle or in too thin of a stream).
- Garnish with green onions if desired.
Notes
- Use the instruction timers if available to keep track of simmering times accurately while cooking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 294 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 294kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 70mg | 23% |
| Sodium | 1082mg | 45% |
| Potassium | 597mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 85IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 3.1mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 102mg | 10% |
| Iron | 2.4mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
