Hot and Sour Soup
Hot and Sour Soup
In my opinon one of the best parts of any Asian dining experience is the delicious little cup of soup before the meal. My favorites were always Egg Drop or Wonton. Although I had tried it, I never really gave the Hot and Sour the full attention it deserved. Little did I know how flavorful it was and how much texture is packed into that bowl! This soup is incredibly easy to make, so comforting and the perfect way to enjoy the nostagia of those times you dined out at your favorite Asian restaurant.
Serves 6
Ingredients
8 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
12 g of Dried Black Fungus / Wood Ear Mushrooms (about 1/3 cup dried)
1/2 cup (11 g) Dried Lily Flowers (you can find them in your local Asian market or online)
1 cup (105 g) Bamboo Shoots cut into strips
7oz ( 200 g) Extra Firm Tofu
2 Green Onions thinly sliced (reserve some green parts for garnish)
1” knob (1 Tbsp / 15 g) of Ginger grated
2 Tbsp (30 ml) Black Vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 ml) Soy Sauce
2 tsp (10 ml ) Dark Soy Sauce
1 tsp (5 g) Finely ground White Pepper
4 1/2 cups (1064 ml) of Vegetable or No Chicken Broth
2 cups (473 ml) reserved Shiitake Mushroom / Lily Flower Broth
1/4 cup Cornstarch (30.5 g) mixed with 1/4 cup (60 ml) Water
Directions
1. In separate bowls, rehydrate the wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and lily flowers with a cup of hot water each. Let stand for 1 hour. Strain and reserve the water from the shiitakes and lily flowers as they have great flavor and will be added to the soup.
2. Once everything has been rehydrated, cut away any hard ends from the lily flowers and then cut them in half. Thinly slice both the shiitakes and wood ear mushrooms. Set aside.
3. Allow the tofu to drain for 30 minutes before cutting into 1/2” cubes. Set aside.
4. Rinse and drain the bamboo shoots then cut the pieces into thin strips. Set aside. Mix together the black vinegar and white pepper and set aside.
5. In a large pot bring the vegetable broth and the reserved water from the shiitakes and lily flowers to a hard simmer or soft boil.
6. Add in the grated ginger, shiitake and wood ear mushrooms, lily flowers, bambo shoots, tofu and both soy sauces. Allow everything to come back to a hard simmer or soft boil. Mix together the cornstarch and water to form the slurry, set aside.
7. Once the soup is simmering or comes to a soft boil, give the slurry a mix and slowly add it to the soup while mixing (this will help thicken the soup). Add in the green onions and stir.
8. Add in the black vinegar and white pepper mixture and mix through. Allow the soup to heat through before serving.
