This recipe for takeout-style hot & sour soup is super simple, quick, and hits all the spots. Silky eggs, hearty tofu, crunchy veggies, and spicy + tangy broth. You'll have 10 cups (about 5 large bowls) of this good stuff in under 25 minutes!
Ok, I'll admit it. I love American Chinese food. Orange chicken, honey walnut shrimp, cream cheese wontons, you name it. My favorite Chinese-American takeout dish is hot and sour soup; it's so tangy, spicy, savory, and rich. It's such a great comfort food. (Side note: am I the only Asian-American person who is embarrassed to admit they love westernized versions of Asian food?! This needs to be talked about more!!)
Anywho, It's been uncharacteristically cold and rainy here in Southern California, so it's the perfect time to break out this recipe! It's super easy, super customizable, and super tasty.
Ingredients:
8 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Chinese black vinegar (rice vinegar is ok in a pinch, too.)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated ginger*
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons sambal oelek or garlic chili paste
1/4 cup cornstarch
8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (shiitake would have been better, but I didn't have any)
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
3 large eggs, beaten
7 oz firm tofu, cut into 1 inch slices or cubed
1 cup chopped scallions
*HOT TIP: Freeze your ginger whole! Then use a microplane to grate as needed! So much easier than grating them fresh or mincing with a knife.
Other great additions would be bamboo shoots, wood ear mushroom, or baby corn. I just didn't have any of those things. :-(
Instructions:
Place a 1/2 cup of the chicken broth in a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch. Set aside.
Pour the remaining chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, white pepper, sambal oelek, and mushrooms into a soup pot and bring to a strong simmer. Once the broth is simmering, stir in the cornstarch mixture until the broth has thickened, about 2 minutes.
Stir the soup in a circular motion to create a gentle whirlpool effect. While the soup is swirling, slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a thin and steady steam. This will create the ribboned egg effect.
Add in the tofu, carrots, and half of the scallions.
Taste! If you like extra sour broth, try adding in an addition tablespoon of vinegar at a time.
Serve with the rest of the scallions as garnish and enjoy!
I didn't choose the soup life. The soup life chose me.
- Arielle