Hot and Sour Soup

Hot & Sour Soup

A favorite soup we like to order at Thai and Chinese restaurants, this hot & sour soup is pretty straightforward to prepare at home. Myriad videos abound on the internet for this soup from which I have taken the best parts to come up with my recipe.

A specialty item that gives this soup some of its tang is Chinese pickled vegetables which, unfortunately, can only be found in Asian markets. The heat in this soup is imparted by a whole dried red chili and black pepper powder. On these cold and dreary days, this hot & sour soup brings immense comfort.

Ingredients

4 cups filtered water
4 cups chicken broth
1 (14 oz.) tray extra-firm tofu, sliced
8-10 slices Chinese pickled vegetables, julienned along with some juices
5 baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 long dried red chili, left whole
4 Tbsp. black vinegar
4 Tbsp. light soy sauce
2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
2 stalks lemon grass, bulbs pounded to release flavour and tied
1 tsp. chicken stock powder or bouillon cube
1 tsp. ground black pepper powder
3 Tbsp. tapioca starch dissolved in 3 Tbsp. water
1 egg, beaten
salt to taste

Directions

1. Bring filtered water and chicken broth to a rolling boil.
2. Add dried red chili, lemongrass, chicken bouillon, vinegar and soy sauces.
3. Return soup to a boil and add tofu, pickled vegetables and mushrooms.
4. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, add black pepper powder.
5. Drizzle tapioca starch slurry, stir well and adjust salt to taste.
6. Remove soup from heat and pour beaten egg around the edges of soup.
7. Set aside for 2-3 minutes for eggs to set and fluff up before stirring.
8. Remove lemongrass and dried red chili from soup before serving.

Divide among required number of soup bowls and serve immediately.