The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Affinity Vegetarian Garden›Hot Sour Soup Recipe

Hot Sour Soup Recipe

Name: Affinity Vegetarian Gardens Hot Sour Soup Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian); 1 cups water; 2 tbs soy sauce (light); 3 tbs rice vinegar; 1 tsp dark soy sauce (optional, for color); 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp white pepper; 1 tsp sugar; 0.5 tsp salt; 8 oz boneless chicken breast, very thinly sliced (or firm tofu, julienned for vegetarian); 4 oz shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved (optional); 1 cup wood ear mushrooms (rehydrated) or shiitake, thinly sliced; 0.5 cup bamboo shoots, thinly sliced; 2 eggs; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp fresh ginger, julienned or minced; 3 stalks green onions (scallions), thinly sliced (white and green separated); 1 tsp chili paste (such as sambal oelek) or chili oil; 3 tbs cornstarch; 6 tbs cold water (for cornstarch slurry); 1 egg white (optional, for silkier texture); 1 tsp white wine or sherry (optional); 0 to taste ground white pepper (extra, to taste)

Inspired by Affinity Vegetarian Garden

Time30m

Serves4

Make Hot Sour Soup Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Broth & Base

6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian)

1 cups water

2 tbs soy sauce (light)

3 tbs Rice vinegar

1 tsp dark soy sauce (optional, for color)

1 tsp Toasted sesame oil

1 tsp White pepper

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

Proteins & Fillings

8 oz boneless chicken breast, very thinly sliced (or firm tofu, julienned for vegetarian)

4 oz shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved (optional)

1 cup wood ear mushrooms (rehydrated) or shiitake, thinly sliced

1/2 cup bamboo shoots, thinly sliced

2 Eggs

Aromatics & Seasoning

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, julienned or minced

3 stalks green onions (scallions), thinly sliced (white and green separated)

1 tsp chili paste (such as sambal oelek) or chili oil

Thickening & Finish

3 tbs Cornstarch

6 tbs cold water (for cornstarch slurry)

1 egg white (optional, for silkier texture)

1 tsp white wine or sherry (optional)

0 to taste ground white pepper (extra, to taste)

Method

Broth & Base

Prepare stock

In a large pot, combine 6 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock and 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Add 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (if using), 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir and taste; adjust vinegar (sour) and white pepper (heat) to preference. Keep at a low simmer.

Aromatics & Seasoning

While stock comes to a simmer, heat a small skillet over medium-low heat (optional). Add the minced garlic and ginger to the simmering pot directly, and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant—do not brown. Add 1 teaspoon chili paste or a drizzle of chili oil and stir.

Reserve thinly sliced white parts of the scallions to add earlier in the soup; keep green tops for garnish.

Proteins & Fillings

If using chicken: slice chicken as thin as possible (partially freezing helps). If using tofu: cut into thin strips. If using shrimp: halve or leave whole if small.

Add the wood ear/shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots to the simmering broth. Cook 2–3 minutes until heated through and mushrooms begin to soften.

Add the thinly sliced chicken (or tofu) and shrimp, stir gently, and simmer 2–3 minutes until just cooked through. Do not overcook — chicken should be opaque and shrimp pink; tofu warmed through.

Thickening & Finish

Make the cornstarch slurry by whisking 3 tablespoons cornstarch into 6 tablespoons cold water until smooth. If using egg white for a silkier finish, beat the egg white lightly and set aside.

Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Slowly drizzle the cornstarch slurry into the pot in a thin stream while stirring the soup in a circular motion to avoid lumps. Continue stirring until the broth slightly thickens to a silky, slightly viscous consistency (about 1–2 minutes). If the soup becomes too thick, add up to 1/4 cup water or stock to loosen.

Lightly beat the 2 eggs in a small bowl (if using whole eggs) or the single egg white separately. With the soup at a gentle simmer, slowly pour the beaten eggs in a thin stream while stirring the soup with a fork or chopstick to create thin silky ribbons. If using egg white only, drizzle and stir to create fine white threads.

Stir in 1 teaspoon white wine or sherry (optional) for depth. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional rice vinegar for sourness, chili paste for heat, soy sauce or salt for saltiness, and white pepper for a peppery bite.

Turn off the heat. Stir in the reserved white parts of the scallions and a final drizzle of sesame oil.

Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with sliced green parts of scallions and an additional grind of white pepper or a few drops of chili oil if desired. Serve hot.