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Chinese: Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

Source of Recipe

From "Saveur: The New Classics"


Recipe Introduction

"Hot and sour soup is a culinary contradiction. In it, the mildest ingredients - pork, mushrooms, tofu - are nestled in a fiery, vinegar-laced broth. This soup doesn't just warm you; it burns through you and brings you back to life."

List of Ingredients

For the Pork:
◦  1 Tbsp soy sauce
◦  1 Tbsp brandy
◦  1 tsp cornstarch
◦  ¼ pound pork tenderloin, cut into ¼-inch cubes

For the Soup:
◦  8 cups chicken stock
◦  3 Tbsp soy sauce
◦  3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
◦  3 Tbsp cornstarch
◦  1 tsp ground white pepper
◦  1 tsp kosher salt
◦  ½ tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
◦  ¾ pound firm tofu, drained and cut into ¼-inch cubes
◦  ¼ cup peeled and diced Yukon gold potato
◦  6 pieces shiitake or wood ear mushrooms, stems discarded and cut into ¼-inch pieces
◦  1 egg, lightly beaten
◦  1 tsp Asian sesame oil
◦  2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish


Recipe

Make the pork:
Combine the soy sauce, brandy, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add pork and toss until combined. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Make the soup:
Whisk together stock, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch, pepper, salt, cayenne, and ¼ cup water in a 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pork, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens, about 30 minutes. Add tofu, potatoes, and mushrooms and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Without stirring, slowly drizzle egg into simmering soup in a thin, steady stream. When egg strands float to surface, stir in oil. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with cilantro.


Serves 4 to 6