Name: Easy Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: .25 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (about 1/3 cup after rehydrating); .25 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms (about 1/3 cup after rehydrating); 4 cups chicken broth; 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced (about a 2” piece); 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon); 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon black vinegar; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon chili sauce ( sambal oelek or sriracha); 2 teaspoons white pepper (or to taste); 2 teaspoons brown sugar; 4 ounces pork loin or chicken breast, cut into thin slices; 8 ounces firm tofu, drained, pressed and sliced into 1/4-inch cubes; 1 (8-ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed; 4-5 fresh Cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 1 cup); 1 thai chili, sliced, to taste; 3 green onions, sliced on bias, (about 1/3 cup); 2 tablespoons corn starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water); 2 eggs, beaten; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Description

This easy Chinese hot and sour soup is a classic dish. It is so simple to make with ingredients from the pantry.

Ingredients

Scale

.25 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (about 1/3 cup after rehydrating)
.25 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms (about 1/3 cup after rehydrating)
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced (about a 2” piece)
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon black vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chili sauce ( sambal oelek or sriracha)
2 teaspoons white pepper (or to taste)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 ounces pork loin or chicken breast, cut into thin slices
8 ounces firm tofu, drained, pressed and sliced into 1/4-inch cubes
1 (8-ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed
4–5 fresh Cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 thai chili, sliced, to taste
3 green onions, sliced on bias, (about 1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons corn starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water)
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

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Instructions

Rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms in warm water in separate containers.
Squeeze out the liquid in shiitake mushrooms and strain the grit from the reserved liquid.
Drain and press the tofu and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
In a large dutch oven over medium heat, cook the broth, liquid from shitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegars, chili sauce and brown sugar and simmer for five minutes.
Add the slices of pork or chicken, tofu, bamboo shouts and reconstituted mushrooms and fresh mushrooms and let simmer for two more minutes.
Stir the cornstarch slurry and cook until the soup thickens slightly.
While the soup is simmering, slowly pour the eggs in a thin stream. Stir the soup with a chopstick to break up the cooked eggs so the pieces are like ribbons and floating on the top.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding a dash of black vinegar for more sour and chili sauce for more spice until you get your preferred balance of hot and sour.
Sprinkle the white pepper, green pepper slices and Thai chili rings.
Add drops of sesame oil to the surface of the soup and serve warm.