Hot & Sour Soup?

[spryte]

I was thinking about making Hot & Sour Soup today. Anyone have a great tried and true recipe for this?

[Andy M.]

Here is a recipe from Ming Tsai that I use and enjoy. It's the closest to our favorite Chinese Restaurant's hot and sour.

The amounts of vinegar and sesame can varied to adjust the taste to you liking.


TRADITIONAL SZECHUAN-STYLE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

1/2 Lb Pork, julienned
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Cornstarch
2 Tb Peanut Oil
4 Dried Chiles, chopped
1 Tb Ginger, minced
8 C Chicken Stock
1 tsp Sugar
1 C Bamboo Shoots, julienned
1/2 C Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms
2 Eggs lightly beaten
2 Tb Cornstarch
1/4 Lb Firm Tofu, diced
TT Salt and White Pepper
5-6 Tb Rice Vinegar
2 Tb Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 C Scallions, chopped
2 Tb Cilantro, Minced




Combine the pork with the sesame oil, soy, and cornstarch. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Soak the bamboo shoots in water for 30 minutes, then julienne.

Re-hydrate and julienne the wood ears.

In a hot 4-quart saucepan, add the oil and sear the pork, stirring quickly then remove the pork from the pan and set it aside.

Add the chiles and ginger, and stir.

Add the stock, sugar, bamboo shoots and wood ears and bring to a boil. Season. Simmer for 20 minutes.

While the soup is boiling, drizzle in the egg to form ribbons. A slower, thin drizzle will make thinner, more delicate ribbons.

Mix the cornstarch with cold water to form a paste and add the cornstarch to the soup stirring constantly to thicken.

Add the pork and tofu.

Add the vinegar, soy, sesame oil, scallions and cilantro and check for seasoning.

Serve immediately.

Note: If you want to make the soup ahead of time, skip the last step and refrigerate the soup. Reheat the soup just before serving and add the vinegar, soy, sesame oil, scallions and cilantro and check for seasoning.

[spryte]

That sounds great! Thanks!!

[CharlieD]

I know there was another thread about the hot and sour soup with a whole bunch of recipes but I can't find for some reason. That is when I wish the most we'd have a "favorite option" thingy. BTW if somebody knows how to find it, please post the link here.

I remember there, somebody was using shitake mushrooms alone with ear wood mushroom.


I have a question, everybody. Can the dry mushrooms be substituted with the fresh ones? Or what can I do with the fresh ones to make them taste like dry ones? Should I dry them first and then re-hydrate? Wouldn’t that be a simple waist of time?

[Andy M.]

Charlie, you can just use the fresh mushrooms in place of the dried. There is no need for special preparation. Just slice and use.

[Dave Hutchins]

Charlie I have made this soup every way you can fresh mushrooms are just fine there is only two constant's in Hot and Sour heat and sour the rest is up to you.. Every chinaman has a different recipe for it so don't let a recipe stand in your way as long as it hot and sour.. If !!!!!!!!!!! you can find it the chinese make some very fine black vinegar that I use for the sour

[CharlieD]

What do you mean by making black vinegar? How do you make it?

[Dave Hutchins]

I do not know how they make it but it is mild and black as ink and It is the Japanese
equivalent of Balsamic vinegar

[lindatooo]

You must buy black vinegar from an asian grocery. It's much different than our "usual" vinegars and you won't be able to substitute anything else and expect the same flavor. Cooks Illustrated explains it well. Check their website.