Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and Sour Soup balances white pepper heat against black vinegar tang in a thickened broth loaded with wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and silky egg ribbons. It's a Sichuan-influenced staple prized for its bold contrast of flavors and warming, restorative quality.

By YumYum Editorial · Chinese

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 45 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 dried wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced
• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
• 4 oz firm tofu, cut into thin strips
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 cup black vinegar (Chinkiang), plus more to taste
• 1 tsp white pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp chili oil (optional)
• 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 4 tbsp water (slurry)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 4 oz lean pork, thinly shredded (optional)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 scallions, sliced

Instructions

1. Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a large pot. If using pork, add it now and simmer 3-4 minutes until cooked through, skimming any foam.
2. Add rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu strips. Simmer 5 minutes.
3. Stir in soy sauce, black vinegar, and white pepper. Taste and add chili oil if you want more heat.
4. Re-stir the cornstarch slurry and pour into the simmering soup, stirring constantly until it thickens to a glossy, slightly viscous consistency.
5. Reduce heat to low. While stirring the soup gently in a circular motion, drizzle in the beaten eggs slowly to form thin ribbons.
6. Let sit 10 seconds, then stir once gently.
7. Taste and adjust with more vinegar for sourness or white pepper for heat — the soup should be assertively both.
8. Drizzle with sesame oil, garnish with scallions, and serve hot.