A tangy, peppery Chinese soup with tofu, mushrooms and egg ribbons, thickened lightly and finished with black vinegar and white pepper.
Hot and sour soup balances two distinct sensations at once — the sourness of black vinegar and the heat of white pepper — creating a soup that warms and wakes up the palate in a way few other dishes manage so directly. Wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots and firm tofu provide a mix of textures against the smooth broth, which is lightly thickened with a cornstarch slurry so it clings to each ingredient rather than staying thin and watery. The final flourish comes from drizzling beaten egg into the hot soup in a thin, steady stream while stirring gently, creating the delicate egg ribbons that are as much a textural signature of this soup as its distinctive sour-spicy flavor.
Serves 4
Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot.
Add tofu, wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots, and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in soy sauce, black vinegar, white pepper, sugar and salt.
Stir the cornstarch slurry once more, then pour into the simmering soup, stirring constantly until it thickens slightly.
Reduce heat to low, and while stirring the soup gently in one direction, drizzle in the beaten egg in a thin, steady stream to form delicate ribbons.
Stir the soup gently and drizzle the egg slowly — pouring it in too fast creates large clumps instead of fine, delicate ribbons.
Stir in sesame oil and adjust the sour-spicy balance to taste.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with scallions.
Drizzle the beaten egg in slowly while gently stirring the soup — this technique creates fine, delicate ribbons rather than large clumps.
Taste and adjust the vinegar and white pepper carefully; the dish's name reflects a very deliberate balance between sour and hot that's easy to overdo in one direction.
Use black vinegar (Chinkiang vinegar) specifically for its distinct, slightly sweet depth — rice vinegar alone won't give the same complexity.
Adding shredded pork or chicken makes for a heartier, more substantial soup.
A vegetarian version uses vegetable stock and adds extra mushrooms for depth.
Some versions include lily buds (dried daylily) for additional texture and a subtly earthy flavor.
Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stove, as the texture of the tofu and egg ribbons is best enjoyed fresh.
Hot and sour soup is most closely associated with Sichuan and northern Chinese cuisine, its balance of chili-free heat from white pepper and tang from black vinegar reflecting a distinctly different approach to 'spicy' than the chili-forward dishes more commonly associated with Sichuan cooking.
A mix of rice vinegar and a small amount of balsamic vinegar approximates its slightly sweet, complex tang, though the flavor won't be identical.
The cornstarch slurry may not have been fully dissolved or added in sufficient quantity — mix it thoroughly and stir it into the simmering soup, cooking a minute longer to activate the thickening.
The egg was likely poured in too quickly or the soup wasn't stirred while adding it — drizzle slowly in a thin stream while gently stirring in one direction.
Per serving (350g / 12.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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