Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤 (suān là tāng))
Overview
Hot and sour soup is a thick, warming Chinese soup whose heat comes from white pepper and whose sourness comes from vinegar, usually dark Chinese vinegar. The broth is thickened with cornflour and filled with strips of tofu, wood ear and shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and often shredded pork, with beaten egg drizzled in at the end. A few drops of sesame oil and spring onion finish it. It is popular across China in various regional styles and on Chinese restaurant menus worldwide.
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History
Versions of hot and sour soup are claimed by several regions, especially Sichuan and the area around Beijing and Henan. The defining combination of pepper and vinegar is old, and the soup has long been valued as a warming dish in cold weather. Chinese restaurants abroad helped make it one of the most recognisable Chinese soups internationally.
Main ingredients
Tofu, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, egg, black vinegar, white pepper. The soup is built on thickened chicken or pork broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~30 min
Ingredients
- 1 l chicken stock
- 150 g firm tofu, 100 g pork, cut in strips
- wood ear and shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots
- 3 tbsp black vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp white pepper, 2 tbsp cornflour
- 1 egg, sesame oil, spring onion
Method
- Bring the stock to the boil with pork, mushrooms and bamboo shoots and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add tofu, soy sauce, vinegar and pepper.
- Thicken with cornflour mixed with water.
- Drizzle in the beaten egg while stirring and finish with sesame oil and spring onion.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.