Hot and sour soup

Well the wait is over. After banging on about how my hot and sour soup is the best in Ottawa, I’m finally putting that to the test and you can be the judge.

The nice thing about this soup is that it can be made in a variety of ways but the base of it is always vegan. Here the version is vegetarian (it has egg) but it is heavy on the mushrooms.

For those that love hot and sour soup, it’s more than just a comforting flavour bomb, it’s mouthfuls of alternating textures. Bamboo shoots, silken tofu, mushrooms, egg, carrots, scallions, all give a mouthfeel and colour. 

If I’m adding protein, I typically enjoy making this with shrimp and bay scallops, but slivers of pork or chicken are also common. Just remember that if using seafood, add this at the end just as the simmer is coming to a finish. No need to have tough shrimp and scallops.

I’ve compiled this recipe from a number of sources over the years and have added a few of my own touches. As with anything, try to use better ingredients and that may mean splurging a little more on soy sauce and aged Chinese black vinegar. A quality vinegar and soy will be noticed.

Note that I also use a specialty “peeler”  that cuts carrots into long strips and which can be purchased at your favourite Asian shops for around five dollars. The brand I use is “Kiwi” from Taiwan.

It may not seem like it but this is a quick soup and so mise en place is everything. Have all your ingredients cut and prepared in advance.

Ingredients

Makes 3 litres of soup

• 1 large thick carrot, cut into long threads 

• 3 Tbsp of grated ginger

• 300 g package of silken tofu. Keep tofu in the package and drain. Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces in the package.

• ½ jar (approx. 150 g) of preserved young bamboo shoots

• Small handful of dried Autumn (aka cloud ear) fungus

• Handful of dried shiitake mushrooms

• 3 beaten eggs (add at end)

• 150 g enoki mushrooms (available at T&T) with ends removed

• 150 g king oyster mushrooms (available at T&T) cut into bite sized pieces

• 3 litres of water

Seasonings

• 4 Tbsp soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp Better than Bouillon organic vegetable broth paste (Costco for the best price)

• 2 Tsp sugar

• 3 Tsp salt 

• 3 Tbsp corn starch

• 3 Tbsp water

• 6 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar

• 3 Tsp white pepper

• 3 Tsp sesame oil

• Diced scallions to garnish

Directions

Using hot water, rehydrate dried shiitake and autumn fungus in a bowl for 5 minutes. After softening, cut into slices.

Add  your favourite cooking oil to a large pot and sautée carrots and ginger for two minutes

Add three litres of water to pot

Add bamboo shoots, fungus, all mushrooms and silken tofu and simmer for 3 minutes

Now add salt, sugar, vegetable broth paste and both soy sauces

Mix corn starch and water for a thickening paste and add to broth. (If after a minute the soup is not thick enough for your palate, simply make more mixture and add)

Now add the black vinegar, white pepper and sesame oil at the end. Adding this too soon will denude the effects of both the white pepper and vinegar.

Before serving, add the beaten eggs and turn off the heat.

Add the scallions and serve.

Optional: If you need a little more heat and flavour feel free to add something like Rude Mama hot sauce to taste. It makes for a great marriage of flavours.