Description
This classic Hot and Sour Soup recipe combines tender chicken, shiitake and wood ear mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots in a flavorful broth seasoned with soy sauce, vinegar, chili, and aromatic spices. Easy to prepare and comforting, this soup features a balance of spicy, sour, and savory notes with silky egg ribbons that create a traditional Chinese restaurant experience at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Mushrooms
- 220 g / 7 oz chicken breast
- 12 dried shiitake mushrooms (or 150 g / 5 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms)
- 1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms, chopped into 1.5 cm / 3/5″ pieces
- 125 g / 4 oz firm tofu, cut into 1.2 cm / 0.5″ cubes
Broth and Seasonings
- 1 tsp dried chili / red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp white pepper (can substitute black pepper)
- 6 cups (1.5 L / 1.5 qt) low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup (65 ml) white vinegar (adjust to taste)
Additional Soup Ingredients
- 1/4 cup bamboo shoots, thinly sliced
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1/4 cup (40 g) cornstarch / cornflour
- 1/4 cup (125 ml) water
- Salt to taste
- 1 shallot / scallion, finely sliced
Instructions
- Soak Mushrooms: Cover dried shiitake mushrooms with plenty of boiling water and let them stand for 20–30 minutes until soft. Drain and slice thinly. Reserve or discard soaking liquid as desired.
- Prepare Broth: Place chicken broth, grated ginger, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, dried chili, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Cook Chicken: When the broth begins to simmer, add the chicken breast, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Shred Chicken: Cook the chicken for 10 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from the broth and shred into bite-sized pieces.
- Add Soup Ingredients: Add the vinegar, sliced shiitake mushrooms, chopped wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, firm tofu cubes, and shredded chicken into the simmering soup broth.
- Simmer Soup: Stir the soup gently and let it simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Thicken Soup: Mix the cornstarch with water to create a slurry. While stirring the soup steadily at medium pace, slowly pour the cornstarch mixture in to avoid lumps. Continue stirring until the soup thickens.
- Create Egg Ribbons: When the soup starts simmering again, stir constantly and slowly pour the whisked eggs into the soup in a thin stream, forming the signature silky egg ribbons.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and add salt if needed, or more chili for extra heat according to your preference.
- Finish and Serve: Garnish with finely sliced shallots or scallions and serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Mushrooms: For authentic flavor, use dried shiitake mushrooms as they provide a more intense taste and better texture than fresh. If still firm after soaking, finish rehydrating them in the broth. Substitute with brown cremini mushrooms if shiitake are unavailable. Wood ear mushrooms contribute traditional texture and flavor; if unavailable, increase shiitake quantity.
- Chili: Authentic versions use finely chopped dried Asian chilies. You can deseed to reduce heat. Red pepper flakes are an acceptable substitute with minimal flavor difference.
- Soy Sauce: Use a combination of dark and light soy sauce for depth of flavor. Using only dark soy sauce will overpower the broth.
- Tofu: Use firm tofu to prevent it from breaking apart in the soup. If only soft tofu is available, add it gently at the end of cooking.
- Bamboo Shoots: Typically sold sliced in cans; use about 1/3 of a 230 g / 7 oz can. Leftovers are great for stir-fries.
- Storage & Reheating: Soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove. Freezing is not recommended as the cornstarch thickener can lose effectiveness; to fix after thawing, reheat and add more cornstarch slurry to desired thickness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 350 ml)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
