Hot and Sour Soup

The hearty, spicy, sour broth is loaded with pork, silky eggs, and tofu.

A classic take-out dish, this is a flexible soup which allows ingredients to be substituted or added depending on availability. In spite of using ingredients slightly different than ones used in China, the flavor remains substantially the same.

That said, the two essential ingredients are rice vinegar and white pepper. The “Hot and Sour” soup is made hot (spicy) by white pepper, and sour by rice vinegar (either Zhenjiang (Chinkiang) or alternatively a more tart Red Rice Vinegar).

NOTE: Avoid cooking or boiling the vinegar as this vaporizes the sour aroma of the vinegar. The key to cooking this dish is to add the vinegar and pepper to the soup just prior to serving.

Recipe adapted from Chef Chu’s Distinctive Cuisine of China by Lawrence C.C. Chu.

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INGREDIENTS

• 10 to 20 pieces dried tiger lily buds (aka golden needles)
• ⅛ to ¼ cup dried wood ear mushrooms (aka cloud ear)
• ½ pound or more pork butt or shoulder, cut into strips
• 2 quarts chicken broth, or chicken bouillon
• ½ of an 8 ounce can of sliced bamboo shoots (thinly shredded)
• One carton firm tofu, approximately 16 ounces, cut into cubes
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1½ teaspoon white pepper
• 6 tablespoons red rice vinegar
• Cornstarch Paste Thickener—3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup water
• Chopped green onions for garnish


*Rice Vinegar, wood ear mushrooms (or cloud ear) and lily buds (or golden needles) can be found at Asian grocery markets.

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare Ingredients
1. Rehydrate the dried vegetables. Gently rinse dried wood ear mushrooms and lily buds with tap water. Soak each of them in warm water to rehydrate; about 30 minutes, or until tender.

2. Snip off the tough ends of lily flowers and discard. Cut the tiger lily in half. Remove and discard tough ends of wood ear mushrooms, then shred.

3. Cut the pork into strips and set aside.

4. Cut a 16 ounce package of firm tofu into cubes and set aside.

5. Drain and shred ½ can of sliced bamboo shoots and set aside. Store the remaining bamboo shoots in refrigerator for future use.

6. In a small container, lightly beat three eggs; set aside.

7. Prepare cornstarch paste thickener— mix 3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup water and set aside.

To Cook
1. In a large pot, bring the 2 quarts of chicken broth to a boil.

2. Add pork, rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, lily buds and bamboo shoots to the pot. Return to boil. Add tofu and salt and reduce to a simmer.

3. Stir in the cornstarch paste slowly and continue simmering until the cornstarch is cooked and the soup has a consistency of a creamed soup. About 30 seconds to a minute.

4. Add the soy sauce and vegetable oil.

5. Drizzle the eggs in a thin stream into the soup while gently/slowly stirring and shut off the heat.

6. When ready to serve, mix in rice vinegar and white pepper and sprinkle with green onions. Taste the soup and add more salt if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot.