Hot-and-Sour Soup Recipe
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Many ingredients yet minimal work makes for a full-flavored soup that’s great served in small cups at a cocktail party or simply as a warming meal on a cold night.
What to buy: Chinese black vinegar is a robustly flavored rice vinegar that can be found at most Asian markets.
Game plan: The soup can be made through step one (minus the tofu) up to 1 day in advance, then cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Rewarm over medium heat, add tofu, and simmer over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
This recipe was featured as part of our Spicy Holiday Cocktail Party menu.
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 5 ounces (about 15 to 20) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
- 5 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine, such as Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons chile oil
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 dried whole red chiles
- 1 (8-ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained and finely chopped
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 6 ounces extra-firm tofu, small dice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 6 tablespoons (about 4 to 6) thinly sliced scallions, green parts only (optional)
- Place broth in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and add mushrooms, vinegar, both soy sauces, rice wine, chile oil, sugar, sesame oil, chiles, bamboo shoots, ginger, and tofu. Simmer until just heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Mix together cornstarch and water until evenly combined, and stir into soup. Serve topped with scallions, if using.
Beverage pairing: Domaine des Baumard Crémant de Loire Brut NV “Carte Turquoise,” France. Sparkling wines make good textural contrasts for soups, and the earthy flavors of this Chenin Blanc–based sparkler will work with the mushrooms, ginger, bamboo shoots, and soy sauce in the soup.
It was all sounding good until I read Tofu. I have tried it in several different ways and I can't stand it anyway shape or form!!! Sorry.
lily, if you use white vinegar, it's not the (shanghaiese) hot and sour soup. The flavor of chinese black vinegar is so different than the white one.
traditional version also contains blood pudding and black wood ear (a kind of fungus)
u can also use white vinegar but it might not be that sour enough
i luv hot and sour soup!!!!!!!!!!!!
make it evryday so gd!!!!!!!!!
Doesn't traditional hot and sour soup have pork as an ingredient? I did not notice it in the list of ingredients.
Len
I've also gotten away with using a freshly opened Chinese red vinegar. (freshly opened because I've noticed a marked decline in acidity, to some sort of semi acidic sweetness after a month or so).
I would give anything if someone could contribute a "small batch" recipe for hot/sour soup!! All the recipes start off with a ten gallon pot!
has anybody made this?
Black vinegar can be replaced or mixed (to your preference) with Chinese ChinKiang vinegar, which is a version of black vinegar but has a unique taste.