Ken's Hot-And-Sour Soup
Submitted by luckee52
Homemade hot and sour soup with shredded pork, tofu, dried Chinese mushrooms, bean thread noodles, and egg ribbons in a tangy, peppery broth.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1 hrsA proper Chinese hot and sour soup made from scratch with real ingredients, not a gloopy takeout knockoff. Shredded pork, silky tofu, dried Chinese mushrooms, and bean thread noodles swim in a chicken broth sharpened with red vinegar and white pepper.
Blanching the pork before adding it to the soup is a step most recipes skip. It removes any scum and impurities so your broth stays clear. The dried mushrooms need a 20-minute soak, but their deep, smoky flavor is worth every minute of waiting. Squeeze them dry and use only the caps.
The egg goes in last, poured in a thin stream while you drag a fork through the broth to pull it into those wispy ribbons. The sesame oil and chili oil stirred in right at the end bring everything together with heat and fragrance.
Chef Tips
- Keep the heat as low as possible after adding the cornstarch slurry. High heat breaks down the thickener and your soup goes thin again.
- White pepper provides the “hot” in hot and sour, not chili. It’s a warm, slow burn in the back of the throat. Don’t substitute black pepper, which tastes completely different.
- Serve immediately. This soup loses its texture as it sits. The noodles swell and the egg ribbons break apart.
Variations
- Vegetarian version: Skip the pork, use vegetable broth, and double the mushrooms and tofu.
- Extra sour: Add an extra tablespoon of red vinegar right before serving for a sharper, more puckering finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the pork into thin shreds.
Bring some water to a boil in a pot and blanch the pork in it for 2 minutes.
Drain the meat and set it aside.
Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain them and squeeze out any excess liquid.
Discard the stems and finely shred the caps.
Soak the noodles for 5 minutes in warm water, then drain them.
Cut them into 5-inch lengths and set them aside.
Drain the bean curd and shred it into thin strips.
Beat the eggs and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot.
Add the prepared pork, mushrooms, noodles and bean curd together with the sugar, vinegar, white pepper and dark soy sauce.
Simmer for 3 minutes, then thicken it with the cornstarch mixture.
Simmer for 2 minutes with the heat as low as possible.
Next, pour the beaten egg mixture into the soup in a steady stream, and pull the egg into strands with a fork or chopsticks.
Stir in the scallions, fresh cilantro, sesame oil and chili oil.
Pour the soup into a large tureen or individual bowls and serve at once.
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