Suan La Tang (Chinese Hot and Sour Soup)

About This Recipe

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.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 6 cupschicken or vegetable stock
• 200 gfirm tofu(cut into thin strips)
• 1/2 cupwood ear mushrooms(rehydrated and sliced)
• 1/2 cupbamboo shoots(sliced)
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 3 tbspblack vinegar
• 1 tspwhite pepper
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 tbspcornstarch(mixed with 3 tbsp water)
• 2eggs(lightly beaten)
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 2scallions(chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring the stock to a boil

   Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot.

2. 2

   Add the vegetables

   Add tofu, wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots, and simmer 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Season

   Stir in soy sauce, black vinegar, white pepper, sugar and salt.

4. 4

   Thicken

   Stir the cornstarch slurry once more, then pour into the simmering soup, stirring constantly until it thickens slightly.

5. 5

   Add the egg ribbons

   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.

6. 6

   Finish

   Stir in sesame oil and adjust the sour-spicy balance to taste.

7. 7

   Serve

   Ladle into bowls and garnish with scallions.

Variations

• •

  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.

Storage

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.

Frequently Asked Questions