Hot and sour soup
A thick, peppery Chinese soup of pork, tofu, shiitake, wood ear and bamboo shoots, sharpened with black vinegar and finished with ribbons of egg.
Method
- 1
Soak the shiitake and wood ear in separate bowls of hot water until soft.
- 2
Squeeze the mushrooms dry, keeping 100 ml of the shiitake soaking liquid. Cut off the stems and slice the caps and wood ear into thin strips.
- 3
Toss the pork with the 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp cornflour.
- 4
Bring the stock and the reserved shiitake liquid to the boil in the saucepan.
- 5
Add the mushrooms and bamboo shoots and simmer to flavour the stock.
- 6
Add the pork, stirring to separate the strips, and simmer until it turns white.
- 7
Add the tofu, 2 tbsp soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar and bring back to a simmer.
- 8
Stir the cornflour mixture and pour it in, stirring, until the soup thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- 9
Turn off the heat. Pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream while stirring slowly in one direction, so it sets in soft ribbons.
- 10
Stir in the black vinegar, white pepper and sesame oil. They go in last so the sourness and heat stay sharp.
- 11
Taste and add more vinegar for sourness or pepper for heat. Serve topped with spring onion and a drizzle of chili oil.
Notes
- The heat in this soup comes mostly from white pepper rather than chili, so be generous with it.
- For a vegetarian version, leave out the pork and use vegetable stock.
Equipment
Large saucepan, Two small heatproof bowls, Small bowl, Ladle