Tasty Hot and Sour Soup

This filling hot and sour soup has turned into my favorite when I need a fast, tasty meal that brings maximum comfort without much work. The perfect mix of spicy heat and sour tang makes an irresistible flavor that gets you warm from within.

I stumbled on hot and sour soup one freezing winter night when I wanted something warm but not heavy. After tweaking this recipe, it's now what my family asks for most, mainly when someone's feeling sick.

Ingredients

• Chicken stock: Pick the low sodium kind for a good base that's not too salty
• Seafood mushrooms: They add a light, fancy texture, but regular button mushrooms work great too
• Soft tofu: Smooth and creamy, it soaks up all the soup flavors
• Carrots: Cut into thin strips for fast cooking and a bit of natural sweetness
• Shiitake mushrooms: Gives that deep, savory taste that makes the flavor authentic
• Red chili: You can skip it, but it adds nice color and heat you can control
• Green onion: Adds fresh zip that balances the deep flavors
• Eggs: Makes those pretty streaks that make this soup special
• Regular soy sauce: Adds salt and color with a gentle touch
• Dark soy sauce: Brings a richer color and taste than the regular kind
• Sesame oil: Just a tiny bit changes the whole soup with its nutty smell
• Chicken bouillon powder: Makes the chicken flavor stronger throughout
• Sugar: Just a tiny bit to balance out the sour and spicy parts
• Cornstarch: Creates that smooth, slightly thick feel the soup's known for
• White vinegar: The main thing that gives this soup its trademark tang
• Salt and white pepper: White pepper's the traditional choice with a different kick than black pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Cornstarch Mix:

Stir cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until it's smooth with no lumps. This will make your soup thicker but still silky, not gloppy. Always use cold water for best results.

Build the Base Flavors:

Add chicken stock to a medium pot with regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, and sesame oil. Mix well so everything fully dissolves. These ingredients together make that satisfying taste that defines the soup.

Heat it Up:

Put the lid on and let it heat to boiling over medium high heat. Keep an eye on it. The cover helps it get hot faster while keeping all the good smells in your broth.

Toss in Veggies and Mushrooms:

Turn heat down to low medium once boiling, then put in shiitake mushrooms, carrots, seafood mushrooms, and red chili pepper. Let them cook without the lid for 1 2 minutes. This quick cooking keeps veggies crisp while letting their flavors mix into the broth.

Add the Tofu:

Carefully slide thin pieces of soft tofu into the hot soup. Stir very carefully so you don't break the delicate tofu. The tofu will soak up all those rich flavors while staying soft and smooth.

Make it Thicker:

Pour in the cornstarch mix while the soup bubbles. Keep stirring gently for 30 60 seconds until the soup gets a bit thicker. This happens fast, so watch closely to get the texture just right.

Add the Egg Swirls:

While stirring the soup in a circular motion, slowly drizzle beaten eggs in a thin stream. Keep stirring softly to create those pretty, light egg swirls throughout. The heat will cook the eggs right away.

Last Touches:

Throw in green onions for freshness, then add white vinegar, salt, and white pepper to taste. The vinegar is key here, as it gives that trademark sourness that matches the heat. Start with what's suggested and tweak it how you like.

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What I love most about this soup is how many textures it has. I really enjoy the way the smooth egg swirls contrast with the tender mushrooms and soft tofu. My daughter wasn't sure about trying it at first, but now she always asks for extra mushrooms in her bowl.

Storage and Leftovers

Hot and sour soup tastes even better the day after you make it since the flavors have more time to mix together. Keep what's left in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you warm it up, do it slowly on the stove over medium low heat instead of in the microwave. This keeps the tofu and egg swirls from getting rubbery.

Ingredient Substitutions

You can easily change this recipe based on what you have. For a vegetarian option, just swap chicken stock for veggie broth and skip the chicken bouillon powder. If you want more meat, add thin pork slices or shredded chicken. Don't like corn products? Potato starch works just as well to thicken it. You can use rice vinegar instead of white vinegar for a softer tang, but you might need to adjust how much you use.

Cultural Significance

Hot and sour soup comes from northern Chinese cooking but people worldwide love it for its comfort. In the past, Chinese medicine saw it as a balancing dish that could push out cold and help blood flow better. The mix of warm spices and vinegar was thought to help your body adjust between seasons. Many Chinese restaurants serve this as a starter, but you can make it a full meal with some rice or dumplings.

Serving Suggestions

Make this soup into a complete dinner by having it with some steamed jasmine rice or crunchy green onion pancakes. For dinner parties, serve it in little cups as a fancy first course. The well-balanced flavors go great with most Chinese foods, especially milder dishes that won't fight with the soup's bold taste.

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FAQs About the Recipe

→ Can I use other types of mushrooms?

Absolutely, you can swap out seafood mushrooms for regular button ones or any kind you have on hand to create your own unique taste and texture.

→ Is this soup vegetarian-friendly?

You can easily make it vegetarian by using veggie stock instead of chicken stock and leaving out the chicken bouillon powder.

→ How do I adjust the sourness level?

Simply add more or less white vinegar depending on how tangy you want your soup to be.

→ Can I make it spicier?

Want more kick? Just toss in some extra red chili pieces or drizzle some chili oil on top when you serve it.

→ How do I ensure smooth egg ribbons?

Swirl the soup gently in circles while you slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs to get those pretty, smooth strands.