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Hot And Sour Soup

Hot and Sour Soup

The key to great hot and sour soup is the final balancing act. The recipe gives you a starting point, but the last step—tasting and adjusting the vinegar for sour, the white pepper for heat, and the salt for overall flavor—is what makes it perfect. The technique for creating the egg ribbons is also crucial; stirring the soup in a vortex while slowly drizzling in the egg is what prevents it from turning into scrambled egg soup.
Prep Time15 minutes
Active Time20 minutes
Soaking Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1/4 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/4 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms
  • 8 cups chicken or pork broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
  • 1.5 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper plus more to taste
  • 6 ounces firm tofu cut into thin strips
  • 6 ounces canned bamboo shoots julienned
  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1/4 cup Chinkiang black vinegar plus more to taste
  • 4 scallions finely chopped
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  • Soak the dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in hot water for 1 hour until soft.
  • Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out excess water, then slice into thin strips.
  • Bring the chicken broth to a gentle boil in a large pot.
  • Add the sugar, salt, light and dark soy sauces, and sesame oil to the broth.
  • Add the sliced mushrooms, tofu strips, and bamboo shoots to the simmering broth.
  • Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together to make a smooth slurry.
  • While stirring continuously, slowly add half the cornstarch slurry until the soup reaches desired thickness.
  • Create a gentle vortex in the soup with your spoon and slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs to form ribbons.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the white pepper and black vinegar.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings - add more vinegar for sourness, white pepper for heat, or salt as needed.
  • Ladle into bowls and top with the chopped scallions and cilantro.

Notes

Serve immediately while hot.
The soup will continue to thicken as it cools.