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* Hot & Sour Soup Recipe

Name: Blue Gibbon Chinese Restaurants * Hot & Sour Soup Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium); 1 cup water; 3 tbs soy sauce (light); 4 tbs rice vinegar; 0.5 tsp dark soy sauce or kecap manis (for color, optional); 1 tsp sambal oelek or Asian chili paste (or 1–2 tsp chili oil); 1 tsp white pepper (freshly ground if possible); 1 tsp sugar; 1 tbs neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 2 tsp garlic, minced; 1 tbs fresh ginger, julienned or finely shredded; 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced (fresh); 0.5 cup wood ear mushrooms (rehydrated) or additional shiitake, thinly sliced; 0.5 cup bamboo shoots, julienned (canned, drained); 0.25 cup carrot, julienned (optional for color); 8 oz firm tofu, drained and cut into thin matchsticks; 4 oz cooked pork tenderloin or cooked chicken breast, very thinly sliced (optional); 3 tsp cornstarch; 3 tbs cold water (for slurry); 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 tbsp scallions/green onions, thinly sliced; 2 tsp cilantro, chopped (optional); 0.5 tsp salt; 1 tsp white vinegar (for extra acidity, optional)

Inspired by Blue Gibbon Chinese Restaurant

Time35m

Serves4

Make * Hot & Sour Soup Recipe in just 35m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Soup base & broth

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium)

1 cup water

3 tbs soy sauce (light)

4 tbs Rice vinegar

1/2 tsp dark soy sauce or kecap manis (for color, optional)

1 tsp sambal oelek or Asian chili paste (or 1–2 tsp chili oil)

1 tsp white pepper (freshly ground if possible)

1 tsp sugar

Aromatics & vegetables

1 tbs neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

2 tsp Garlic, minced

1 tbs fresh ginger, julienned or finely shredded

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced (fresh)

1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms (rehydrated) or additional shiitake, thinly sliced

1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned (canned, drained)

1/4 cup carrot, julienned (optional for color)

Protein

8 oz firm tofu, drained and cut into thin matchsticks

4 oz cooked pork tenderloin or cooked chicken breast, very thinly sliced (optional)

Thickener & finishing

3 tsp Cornstarch

3 tbs cold water (for slurry)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp Toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp scallions/green onions, thinly sliced

2 tsp cilantro, chopped (optional)

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp white vinegar (for extra acidity, optional)

Method

Soup base & broth

Heat broth

In a large pot, combine the chicken or vegetable broth and 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Season broth

Add light soy sauce, rice vinegar, dark soy (if using), sambal or chili paste, white pepper and sugar. Stir and simmer gently while you prepare other ingredients so flavors meld (3–5 minutes). Taste and adjust balance of salty, sour, and spicy: add more vinegar for sour, more soy for salt, or more chili for heat.

Aromatics & vegetables

Sauté aromatics

In a small skillet or the same pot with a little oil, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and julienned ginger and sauté briefly (30–45 seconds) until fragrant but not browned.

Add the sautéed garlic and ginger to the simmering broth. Add sliced shiitake, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots and julienned carrot. Simmer gently until vegetables are tender, about 4–6 minutes.

Protein

Add the tofu matchsticks and the thinly sliced cooked pork or chicken (if using) to the simmering soup. Warm through for 2–3 minutes. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer; avoid rolling boil once tofu is in to prevent breaking it up too much.

Thickener & finishing

Make slurry

In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water until fully dissolved to make a smooth slurry.

Stir the soup so there's gentle motion, then slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the pot in a thin stream while stirring constantly. Allow the soup to thicken for 1–2 minutes until it reaches a slightly viscous, silky consistency. If too thick, add a few tablespoons of hot water or broth to loosen.

Create egg ribbons

Reduce heat to low. Slowly drizzle the lightly beaten eggs into the soup in a thin stream while stirring the soup gently in one direction with a fork or chopstick to create fine ribbons. Stop stirring once ribbons form and let sit for 20–30 seconds.

Turn off heat. Stir in sesame oil, half the sliced scallions and cilantro (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 1/2 teaspoon salt and additional 1 teaspoon white vinegar for brightness if desired.

Ladle the hot & sour soup into bowls and garnish with remaining scallions, a few drops of chili oil if you want more heat, and freshly ground white pepper to taste. Serve immediately.