Ingredients (~4 servings)
- 0.15 oz dried Shiitake mushrooms (a small handful)
- 0.15 oz dried Wood ear mushrooms (a small handful)
- 1 Quart (4 cups) chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (optional, for color)
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper (plus more to taste)
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar (plus more to taste)
- 4 oz firm tofu, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 (8 oz) can bamboo shoots, julienned
- 2 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
- 2 1/2 Tbsp water
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Green onion and cilantro, for garnish
Rehydrate the Mushrooms
Place the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in separate bowls. Cover them with hot water and let them soak for ~1 hour, or until they are fully rehydrated.
Once rehydrated, remove the mushrooms from the water. If the shiitake stems are tough, remove and discard them. Slice both types of mushrooms into thin strips.
Build the Broth
Bring the 1 quart of chicken stock to a light boil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add the sugar, salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir and let the broth simmer for a couple of minutes.
Add the sliced mushrooms, firm tofu, and julienned bamboo shoots. Stir everything together and let the soup return to a low simmer.
Thicken the Soup and Add Egg
In a small bowl, whisk the corn starch and water together until no lumps remain. This is your slurry.
While stirring the simmering soup, slowly pour in about half of the cornstarch slurry.
The soup will thicken almost immediately. Check the consistency. If you want it thicker, slowly add more of the slurry until you’re happy with it.
Make sure the soup is at a steady, gentle simmer. Stir the soup in a constant circular motion with a ladle or spoon.
This motion is critical for creating egg ribbons instead of clumps.
While stirring, slowly drizzle the beaten egg into the moving broth. The egg will cook on contact, forming thin ribbons.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the ground white pepper and white vinegar.
Adjust and Serve
Taste the soup. This is the most important step, as “hot” and “sour” are personal preferences.
If it’s not sour enough, add another small splash of vinegar. If it’s not spicy enough, add a bit more white pepper. Adjust salt if needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.
Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
Ingredients (~4 servings)
- 0.15 oz dried Shiitake mushrooms a small handful
- 0.15 oz dried Wood ear mushrooms a small handful
- 1 Quart chicken stock 4 cups
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce optional, for color
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper plus more to taste
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar plus more to taste
- 4 oz firm tofu cut into thin strips
- 1/2 can bamboo shoots 8 oz, julienned
- 2 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
- 2 1/2 Tbsp water
- 1 large egg beaten
- Green onion and cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Soak shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in hot water for 1 hour, then slice thinly.
- Bring chicken stock to light boil in large pot.
- Add sugar, salt, soy sauces, and sesame oil. Simmer 2 minutes.
- Add sliced mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots. Simmer.
- Whisk cornstarch and water into slurry.
- Slowly add cornstarch slurry to soup, stirring until thickened.
- Stir soup in circular motion while drizzling beaten egg to form ribbons.
- Remove from heat. Add white pepper and vinegar.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with vinegar, pepper, or salt.
- Garnish with green onions and cilantro.
