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Hot and Sour Soup

This recipe delivers a classic Chinese Hot and Sour Soup with deep, balanced flavors. Starting with a homemade chicken stock, it features traditional ingredients like rehydrated wood ears, bamboo shoots, barbecued pork, and silken tofu, finished with delicate egg ribbons and fresh aromatics for a comforting and satisfying dish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: lunch/dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 3755
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 4 dried Chinese fungi about 1 ounce, such as wood ears or cloud ears
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
  • 1 tablespoon red chile paste such as sambal oelek
  • 1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots sliced
  • 1/4 pound barbecued pork shredded
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • Pinch sugar
  • 2 quarts Chinese Chicken Stock recipe follows
  • 1 square firm tofu drained and sliced in 1/4-inch strips
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • Chopped green onions and cilantro leaves for garnish
  • 1 4-pound whole chicken
  • 1 bunch green onions halved
  • 4 garlic cloves smashed
  • 3- inch piece fresh ginger whacked open with the flat side of a knife
  • 1 onion halved
  • 1 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
  • About 3 quarts cold water

Equipment

  • 1 Large Stock Pot For preparing the chicken stock.
  • 1 Wok or Large Pot For cooking the soup base.
  • 1 Fine Mesh Strainer Essential for clarifying the chicken stock.
  • 2 Small Bowls For rehydrating fungi and mixing slurries.
  • 1 Whisk For smooth cornstarch slurry and beaten eggs.

Method
 

  1. Put the wood ears in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Drain and rinse the wood ears; discard any hard clusters in the centers.
  2. Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high flame. Add the ginger, chili paste, wood ears, bamboo shoots, and pork; cook and stir for 1 minute to infuse the flavor. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, pour it into the wok and toss everything together - it should smell really fragrant. Pour in the Chinese Chicken Stock, bring the soup to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir until smooth. Mix the slurry into the soup and continue to simmer until the soup thickens. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 1 direction to get a current going, then stop stirring. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream and watch it spin around and feather in the broth (it should be cooked almost immediately.) Garnish the hot and sour soup with chopped green onions and cilantro before serving.

Notes

The foundation of an outstanding Hot and Sour Soup is a rich, clear chicken stock; don't rush this step. When rehydrating the dried fungi, ensure they are fully softened and any hard bits are removed for optimal texture. Achieving the right balance of hot, sour, and savory is key; adjust the chile paste, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar to your palate. For delicate egg ribbons, stir the soup to create a vortex before slowly pouring in the beaten egg in a thin stream. The cornstarch slurry should be added gradually, allowing the soup to thicken to your desired consistency without becoming overly gloopy.