Perfect! 🍲 Hot and Sour Soup is a classic Chinese soup — tangy, spicy, and full of umami, with a delightful mix of tofu, mushrooms, and sometimes meat. Here’s a straightforward and authentic-tasting recipe:
🌶️ Hot and Sour Soup
(Serves 4)
🧂 Ingredients
Soup base:
- 4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1–2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1–2 tbsp rice vinegar (for sourness, adjust to taste)
- 1–2 tsp Sriracha or chili paste (adjust to taste for heat)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Vegetables & protein:
- ½ cup bamboo shoots, julienned
- ½ cup wood ear mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup tofu, cubed
- Optional: ½ cup shredded cooked chicken or pork
Thickening & finishing:
- 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp water
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
👩🍳 Instructions
- Prepare the broth:
In a large pot, combine chicken/vegetable broth and water. Bring to a simmer. - Add flavorings:
Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, and sesame oil. Adjust heat and sourness to your liking. - Cook vegetables and protein:
Add bamboo shoots, mushrooms, tofu, and cooked meat if using. Simmer for 5–7 minutes. - Thicken the soup:
Stir cornstarch mixture into the simmering soup. Cook 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. - Add the egg:
Slowly drizzle in the beaten egg while stirring gently to create egg ribbons. - Finish and serve:
Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, more soy sauce, or vinegar if needed.
Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot.
🌟 Tips & Variations
- Vegetarian version: Skip meat and use vegetable broth.
- Extra heat: Add a few dashes of white pepper or extra chili paste.
- Tangy twist: Increase vinegar for a sharper sourness.
- Texture: Add sliced carrots or bell peppers for crunch.
If you want, I can also give a restaurant-style version with the perfect balance of heat, sourness, and silky egg ribbons that really tastes like the takeout classic.
Do you want me to do that?
