Hot + Sour Soup
It’s currently freezing in the Bay (read: sub 50 degrees), which means this weather screams hot and sour soup. Recipe below – it looks long but you can use what you have on hand! No bamboo shoots? Oh well. Vegetarian? Skip the pork. You get the idea. Sending you all warm thoughts
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Pork Marinade
- 1/4 lb pork loin or chicken breast cut into thin strips
- 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp shaoxing wine
- 1/2 teaspoon corn starch
- Mix and let marinade for 15 minutes
Soup Things (adjust based on what you have on-hand!, I also like baby corn, dried lily flower, mushrooms)
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
- 1/3 cup shredded carrot, julienned
- 3 large dried shiitake, rehydrated in 1 cup hot water (save the soaking water), remove stem and slice
- 3 piece wood ear fungus, rehydrated and sliced
- 1/3 block of firm tofu, cubed or cut into wide thin strips (can also use silken)
- 1/2 pack enoki mushroom — roots removed, cut in half, pull into smaller pieces
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth PLUS 1 cup shiitake soaking liquid
Flavoring pt. 1
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Cornstarch slurry
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoon water
- mix together
Flavorings and garnishes pt. 2
- 3 tablespoon black vinegar, more or less depending on taste
- 1/2 – 2 teaspoon ground white pepper, depending on taste
- 2 eggs beaten
- Optional: sesame oil, scallions, and cilantro to garnish
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Directions
- Heat up some oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-low. Cook carrots in oil until it starts to soften ~minute or so. Then add in shiitake and sauté for another minutes, add in the wood ear and stir for 30 seconds. Then add in bamboo shoots and the chicken/veg broth + shiitake soaking water.
- Close lid and bring to boil over high heat, turn down to medium and let it boil for 5 minutes. Then add in the tofu strips and enoki and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Then add salt, a pinch of sugar, and dark soy sauce. Toss in the chicken/pork strips and stir so they don’t stick together. Close the lid and bring to another boil.
- Give the cornstarch slurry a stir to loosen and settled bits and then add to the soup. Then slowly add in the beaten eggs, pouring in a circle, super low heat. Mix the eggs a few times with your chopstick.
- Add in white pepper and black vinegar at end, adjusting to taste. Garnish and serve.