Authentic Hot and Sour Soup

One of our favorite people, Mary from Lovefoodies, shared her family recipe for Hot and Sour Soup with me so I could share it with Mom's Pantry followers. We had an active discussion on our Facebook page around the topic of finding the perfect restaurant worthy recipe for the Asian delicacy. I recently had tasted it for the first time, while dining out (see below) and I was instantly intoxicated with his unique comforting powers. I would easily take this over chicken soup if I was under the weather. Some of the ingredients are a bit exotic but if you have an Asian market in your area you may be able to find them, or at least reasonable alternatives.

I know I'm a bit strange, but surely I can't be the

only one who takes pictures of the meals when 

dining out :)

Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients

100 grams = 3. 60 oz, pork fillet

around 1 tbsp strips bamboo

2 Chinese dried mushrooms (soak these for 1 hr in hot water or 4-5 hrs in cold water to rehydrate)

1 fungus (re-hydrate in cold water for 1 hr)

2 slices ginger 3mm thick each

half pressed tofu ( 150 grams ) = 5. 30 oz, medium firm

an egg add 1 tsp water

600 ml = 20 fl oz, boiling water

1/3 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

3 tsp Lee kum kee chilli bean sauce

 2 tsp chicken powder

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Thickening: 

1. 7 tsp corn starch

2. 25 ml = 5 tsp water

Soup bowl ingredients: 

2 coriander

2 tsp chinkiang vinegar

1 tsp white vinegar essence (if you can’t get this, white vinegar will be ok, but 2 tsp)

1/3 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp chilli oil

1 tsp sesame oil

All the ‘strange’ ingredients you can take a look here, only the vinegar essence is not available, but the dried mushrooms, fungus, chilli paste etc is all here so you have an idea of what you need to look out for. 

Prepare the main ingredients

Shred the pork very thinly, first, cut horizontally in half so it is not as thick, then diagonally in very very fine strips. (matchsticks)Put in bowl

To the pork, Add 1 tsp rice wine , 1 tsp say sauce & pinch sugar, ½ tsp water. Stir very well

Add 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp sesame oil to the pork. Stir well again

Cover & refrigerate for 1 hour

Put 1 Tablespoon bamboo strips in boiling water

Cook medium heat for 2 minutes

Remove the bamboo strips, rinse them and drain. Put aside for now

Cut the 2 Chinese mushrooms into fine matchsticks

Dry the fungus in kitchen paper and remove the hard bit (you will see it easily) then cut into smaller size matchstick pieces

Finely chop the ginger slices

Wash & rinse the tofu (be gentle as it is delicate)

Cut the tofu into 1cm thick & matchstick in length and place in a bowl of water

The thickening

In a small bowl, add 7 tsp corn starch & 25 ml water and stir until combined

In a separate bowl, Add 1 tsp water to an egg & beat

The soup bowl

In the soup bowl remove the leaves from 2 blades of coriander and place in the bottom of the soup bowl

Add 2 tsp chinkiang vinegar, 1 tsp white vinegar essence, 1/3 tsp white pepper, ½ tsp chilli oil, 1 tsp sesame oil all in the soup bowl

Cook the main ingredients

Add 2 tsp oil to a medium heat pan

Add diced ginger to the hot oil then push it to the side of the pan (it will burn too quick otherwise)

Add the pork strips, fry on one side for about 1 minute then turn for the other side. Don’t let the meat stick together.

Add the Chinese mushroom strips and cook well

Add the fungus & bamboo, combine everything in the pan well

Add 600 ml of boiling water and turn to a low heat

Add seasonings -

1/3 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 3 tsp lee kum kee chilli bean sauce

2 tsp chicken powder, ½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt.

Turn to high heat and stir well

Add the thickener (cornstarch & water from earlier)

Keep stirring until the soup boils then turn heat down to low

Pour in the egg water mixture around the side of the pan and count to 15 (Do not stir at this point . we want the egg to set like ribbons)

When the soup starts to reboil, turn the heat up to high and then stir a little

Add the tofu and bring back to boil

Once boiling turn off the heat

Pour the boiling soup directly into your soup bowl from earlier (it should have the coriander leaves etc in it) Stir the soup in the bowl well

And enjoy!

If you have any questions (and I am sure some will) I will direct Lovefoodies over this way to help you.