Description
This Sour and Spicy Soup, also known as Hot and Sour Soup, is a bold and flavorful Chinese dish. It features a tangy vinegar and chili heat base, combined with mushrooms, tofu, and tender pork. This restaurant-style recipe is comforting, healthy, and easily customizable, perfect for weeknight dinners or anyone craving authentic Asian flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 lb (250g) pork loin or tenderloin, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (optional)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup shiitake or wood ear mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
- 200g firm tofu, cut into matchsticks
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar or black vinegar
- 1½ tbsp chili garlic sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
- Optional: chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate pork: Toss pork slices with soy sauce, cornstarch, and Shaoxing wine. Set aside.
- Boil broth: In a large pot, bring chicken broth and water to a boil.
- Add veggies & tofu: Stir in mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Cook pork: Add marinated pork and simmer 2–3 minutes until cooked.
- Season: Add vinegar, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and adjust with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Thicken: Stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer until slightly thickened.
- Add egg: Drizzle beaten egg slowly while stirring to form silky ribbons.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls, garnish with green onions, and enjoy hot.
Notes
- Adjust spice with more or less chili garlic sauce to suit your taste.
- For a vegetarian version, omit pork and use vegetable broth.
- Add noodles for a Sichuan hot and sour noodle soup variation.
- For a cabbage twist, add 2 cups shredded cabbage and skip pork.
- Freeze base soup only—add fresh tofu and egg after reheating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
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