Hot & Sour Soup
A robust Szechuan hot and sour soup with shredded pork, mushrooms, tofu, tree ears, tiger lily buds, and a tangy spiced broth thickened with cornstarch.
Ingredients
- 7 0.5 cup chicken broth
- 3/8 lb pork, shredded
- 0.5 tsp cornstarch (marinade)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (marinade)
- 0.5 tsp sherry (marinade)
- 20 whole small dried tree ears
- 25 whole dried tiger lily buds
- 10 whole dried Chinese black mushrooms
- 0.5 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 0.5 can water chestnuts, sliced
- 1 whole carrot, shredded
- 5/8 lb tofu, shredded
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
- 6 tbsp cold water
- 0.3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 0.3 cup vinegar
- 1 whole egg, beaten
- 0.8 tsp black pepper
- 0.8 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 to taste Tabasco sauce
Instructions
- 1
Start heating chicken broth on low heat.
- 2
Mix marinade ingredients (cornstarch, sesame oil, sherry) and add shredded pork. Let stand at least 20 minutes.
- 3
Add tree ears, tiger lily buds, and Chinese mushrooms to hot water and let soak for 20 minutes. Remove stems from mushrooms and slice. Remove stems from tiger lily buds and hard spots from tree ears.
- 4
Slice and shred the vegetables and tofu. Mix 6 tbsp cornstarch with 6 tbsp cold water.
- 5
Bring chicken broth to a full boil and reduce heat to medium. Add all vegetables (tree ears, tiger lily buds, Chinese mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, water chestnuts, carrot) and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- 6
Add pork (with marinade) and tofu. Wait until soup is boiling again. Add Worcestershire sauce and vinegar.
- 7
Slowly stir cornstarch/water paste into soup. Wait until soup thickens slightly. Stir beaten egg into soup.
- 8
Add black pepper, white pepper, sesame oil, and Tabasco. Adjust to taste.