Hot and Sour Soup (Chinese)

Name: Hot and Sour Soup (Chinese)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup Boneless chicken, cut into strips; 1 tsp Light soy sauce; 1/2 tsp Corn starch; 1/2 tsp Asian Sesame oil; 4 Swiss Mushroom, slices (makes 1 1/2 cups once sliced); 300 gms Silken tofu (look for tofu suitable for soups, so that it des not disintegrate into the soup); 2 Tbsp each White and green portion of Spring Onion shoots, chopped; 1 1/2 tsp Garlic, minced; 1 1/2 tsp Ginger, minced; 2 1/2 generous Tbsp Chilli Bean Sauce (Toban Djan -I use Lee Kum Kee); 6 cups Chicken or vegetable stock; 1/8 - 1/4 cup Light Soy sauce; 1 tsp Sugar; 2 Tbsp Chinese Black Vinegar / Black rice Vinegar; 1/2 tsp White pepper powder; 3 1/2 Tbsp Cornflour(cornstarch)- mixed with 5 Tbsp water: Slurry to thicken the soup; 2 Eggs; 2-3 Tbsp Sunflower/peanut oil; A small amount Szechuan Chilli oil if available or toasted sesame, for serving

Shana Shameer 16 April, 2020

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Hot and Sour Soup

Chinese Hot and sour soup (酸辣湯) can be made at home and it is so much better than takeout!

Make this restaurant favourite today. Perfect lockdown recipe!

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Ingredients:

Boneless chicken, cut into strips		1/2 cup - 3/4 cup
Light soy sauce		1 tsp
Corn starch		1/2 tsp
Asian Sesame oil		1/2 tsp
Swiss Mushroom, slices (makes 1 1/2 cups once sliced)		4
Silken tofu (look for tofu suitable for soups, so that it des not disintegrate into the soup)		300 gms
White and green portion of Spring Onion shoots, chopped		2 Tbsp each
Garlic, minced		1 1/2 tsp
Ginger, minced		1 1/2 tsp
Chilli Bean Sauce (Toban Djan -I use Lee Kum Kee)		2 1/2 generous Tbsp
Chicken or vegetable stock		6 cups
Light Soy sauce		1/8 - 1/4 cup
Sugar		1 tsp
Chinese Black Vinegar / Black rice Vinegar		2 Tbsp
White pepper powder		1/2 tsp
Cornflour(cornstarch)- mixed with 5 Tbsp water: Slurry to thicken the soup		3 1/2 Tbsp
Eggs		2
Sunflower/peanut oil		2-3 Tbsp
Szechuan Chilli oil if available or toasted sesame, for serving		A small amount

Method:

Marinate the chicken, cut into small strips with Light soy sauce, Cornstarch and Asian sesame oil. Set aside.
Cut the tofu into rectangular slices and set aside.
Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Don’t overbeat.
Place stockpot on heat. Add the oil. As it heats up add the sliced mushroom first. Saute the mushrooms slowly on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until considerably reduced in volume.
Next, add the marinated chicken and fry this for about 2 minutes on higher heat, till cooked.
Add 1 1/2 generous Tbsp of the Chilli Bean sauce first and stir through for just under a minute, till the chicken is coated and its nice and aromatic. You can add more sauce later to taste.
Add white portion of spring onion shoots, as well as minced ginger and garlic. Saute for another minute or so till the raw smell of ginger and garlic is completely gone.
Add all of the stock and allow it to come to a boil.
Add soy sauce, depending on the saltiness of stock. Also, add sugar to balance flavours.
Now taste the soup and add more chilli bean sauce to taste. I added 2 1/2 Tbsp total.
Once the soup has come to a boil, add the cornflour slurry ( made by mixing together 3 1/2 Tbsp cornflour with 5 Tbsp water, till completely dissolved. )
After adding the slurry, Wait for the soup to thicken slightly.
Add the tofu slices and spring onion greens now.
Now, take a long wooden ladle and stir the soup in circular motions – in one direction to create a whirlpool effect.
Then reduce the heat to a very gently simmer, and pour in the lightly beaten eggs in a circle over the soup.
Stir again with the ladle, gently and slowly in one direction. The raw eggs will cook almost instantaneously as they ‘spread and feather’ into ribbons. Don’t cook too long. As soon as the eggs set. TURN OFF the heat.
Now, for seasoning, add the Black Vinegar(2 Tbsp) and White pepper powder(1/2 tsp) into the hot soup.
Give it a stir, taste and adjust the flavors. Want it spicier? Add more white pepper. Want it sourer? Add more Black Vinegar.
At the very end just before serving, add toasted sesame oil or Szechuan Chilli oil over the top.
Enjoy this deliciously Comforting Chinese Hot and sour soup!

Hot and Sour Soup

Notes:

Chilli Bean Sauce (Toban Djan -I use Lee Kum Kee) is a Szechuan style sauce
Dried mushrooms may be used if you like. Rehydrate them and use.
Light Soy sauce is added for salt and flavour but different brands vary. Add according to how salty your stock was to begin with. Careful not to add too much soy sauce.
White Pepper powder must be used for this recipe. Using black pepper powder does not create the same authentic flavor.

Key Ingredients for Chinese Hot and Sour Soup: Chicken, Tofu, Mushrooms, Eggs, Ginger , Garlic, Spring Onion, Cornflour, Egg, Soy Sauce, Black Vinegar, White Pepper, Sesame oil.

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