Chinese Hot & Sour Soup | 酸辣湯
- Daniel
- Feb 7, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: May 22
I personally find that Chinese soup is very complex and not to my liking. It is either too many herbs or too bitter and sometimes I can't take the smell of chicken or pork soup. Maybe it is just me. But somehow, I began to appreciate this soup more every time I cook it.
I discard the dogma of preparing this soup with a meat base and used mushrooms for my base. This is my Chinese version of mushroom soup, you can call it that way. This soup is also 100% vegetarian. You can make this vegan by omitting the egg.
Another reason why I appreciate this soup so much as it is spicy, sour, savory (even tho there's no meat) and hearty at the same time. This will definitely keep me warm in those cold weather and season. I hope it will keep you cozy this festive season as well.
Ingredients:
(Serve 8)
Mushrooms:
Water, 1 TSP
Cornstarch, 2 TSP
ShaoXing / Hua Tiao / Sherry Wine, 2 TSP
Soy Sauce Preferably Kikkoman, 2 TSP
Granulated Sugar, Pinch
Shiitake Mushrooms Finely Sliced, 200g
Sesame Oil, 2 TSP
Base:
Fresh Coriander Finely Chopped, A Handful
Black Vinegar, 1.5 TBSP
Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 TSP
White Pepper, Pinch
Chili Oil, 2 TBSP (Adjust to Preference)
Sesame Oil, 2 TSP
Soup:
Chinese Dried Black Fungus, A Handful
Chinese Dried Mushrooms, 4
Good Quality Olive Oil, 2 TBSP
Ginger Finely Minced, 1 Inch
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Bamboo Shoots Fresh or Preserved, A Handful
Miso Paste, 1 TBSP
Chili Oil, 1 TBSP (Adjust to Preference)
Dark Soy Sauce, 1 TSP
Light Soy Sauce, 2 TSP
Slurry, 40g Cornstarch + 50ml Water
Eggs, 2
Pressed Tofu Sliced Into Strips, 300g
Mushroom Powder, Pinch
Dried Coriander, For Garnishing
Sesame Oil or Black Vinegar, For Drizzling
Equipment:
Sauce Pot
Large Heavy Pot
Directions:
Please visit my "How To Make Chili Oil" page for the recipe.
Marinate the Mushrooms
In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth.
Stir in ShaoXing wine, soy sauce, and sugar.
In a large bowl, toss mushrooms with the slurry until well coated.
Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the Base
In a large serving bowl, mix all base ingredients together.
Set aside.
Hydrate the Dried Ingredients
Soak dried fungus and mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes.
Slice rehydrated ingredients coarsely.
Pour the soaking liquid into a pot and top up with water to 1.2 liters.
Bring to a boil.
Cook the Soup
In a heavy pot over medium heat, heat olive oil.
Sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant.
Add marinated mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.
Cook until lightly caramelized.
Stir in rehydrated fungus, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots.
Add the boiling liquid to deglaze. Stir well.
In a bowl, combine miso, chili oil, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce.
Add miso mixture to the soup and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low. Add cornstarch slurry and stir until thickened (2–3 minutes).
Stir in eggs for 20 seconds.
Increase heat to medium, add tofu, and simmer 1–2 minutes more.
Taste and adjust with mushroom powder, salt, and pepper.
To Serve
Add some of the base mixture to each serving bowl.
Ladle soup over the top.
Optional: Drizzle extra black vinegar to taste.
Garnish with dried coriander and sesame oil.
Serve immediately.
An umami bomb...
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