Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
2 servings
15 minutes
Chinese hot and sour soup is an iconic dish of Chinese cuisine, renowned for its rich flavor and balance of acidity and spiciness. Its roots trace back to the Sichuan region, known for its spicy dishes. The base of this soup is chicken broth, complemented by fragrant shiitake mushrooms, crunchy bamboo shoots, and tangy black rice vinegar. White pepper and soy sauce add depth of flavor, while cornstarch provides a velvety texture. The finishing touch is egg white, which makes the broth tender and silky. This soup not only warms and offers gastronomic pleasure but is also considered healthy due to its rich protein and antioxidant content. Ideal in cold weather as well as a restorative dish after a long day.
1
Cut the bamboo into small cubes.
- Bamboo shoots: 30 g
2
Chop the mushroom caps into small cubes and boil in boiling water for two minutes.
- Shiitake mushrooms: 30 g
3
Pour the broth into a saucepan, take 5 tablespoons of broth into a bowl and dissolve the starch in it, then add soy sauce to the remaining broth and bring to a boil.
- Chicken broth: 500 ml
- Soy sauce: 20 ml
- Cornstarch: 10 g
4
Separate the egg white from the yolk.
- Chicken egg: 1 piece
5
Add bamboo shoots, boiled mushrooms, vinegar, and white pepper to the broth.
- Bamboo shoots: 30 g
- Shiitake mushrooms: 30 g
- Black rice vinegar (Chinkiang): 40 ml
- Ground white pepper: 1 g
6
Once the broth boils, reduce the heat, add the starch while stirring; as soon as the starch thickens, add the egg white while stirring vigorously and immediately remove from heat.
- Cornstarch: 10 g
- Chicken egg: 1 piece
7
Pour the soup into bowls, serve.