Hot & Sour Soup Recipe

Prepare stock

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

Add soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, white pepper, and sugar to the simmering stock. Taste and adjust balance of salty/sour/spicy — add up to 1 tbs more vinegar for more sourness or more soy for saltiness. Keep at a gentle simmer.

Prepare the proteins and solids while the stock comes to a simmer: slice the chicken breast thinly across the grain into 1/8 - 1/4-inch strips. Press and drain the tofu, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes. If using fresh shiitakes, remove stems and slice caps thinly; if using dried, rehydrate per package and slice. Drain canned bamboo shoots and rinse.

Blanch the chicken slices in the simmering stock for 2–3 minutes until just cooked through. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside (they will finish in the soup).

Add mushrooms and bamboo shoots to the pot; simmer 3 minutes to release flavor and soften. Then add tofu cubes and simmer another 2 minutes to warm through gently, taking care not to break the tofu.

In a small pan or the same pot on low, heat 1 tsp neutral oil and briefly sauté minced garlic and grated ginger just until fragrant (about 20–30 seconds). Add the aromatics into the soup and stir.

Whisk the cornstarch with 3 tbs cold water until smooth to make a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the simmering soup while stirring steadily. Continue stirring and simmer for 1–2 minutes until the broth slightly thickens to a silky, slightly viscous consistency. If too thick, add up to 1/2 cup water or stock; if too thin, mix another 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs water and add a little at a time.

Beat the two eggs lightly in a small bowl. With the soup at a gentle simmer, slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the pot in a thin stream while stirring the soup in one direction with a fork or chopstick to create thin egg ribbons or wisps. Stop stirring after adding for slightly thicker ribbons.

Return the blanched chicken to the pot and add the chili paste. Stir gently to combine and heat through for 30–60 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper, or a pinch of salt as needed.

Thinly slice the green onions (whites and greens separated). Scatter the white parts into the soup and reserve the green parts for garnish. Turn off the heat and drizzle sesame oil around the surface (optional). Ladle soup into bowls and top with the reserved green onion slices.