Chinese Hot and Sour Soup with Mushrooms and Tofu
Hot and sour soup is a Chinese soup with a thickened by starch base, heat from white pepper instead of chili, and acidity from black rice vinegar. Beaten eggs are poured in in a thin stream to create distinctive silky threads.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Calories
- 180
The strangest thing about this soup is that its heat doesn't come from chili — it comes from ground white pepper. And this is a completely different kind of heat: deeper and felt in the throat rather than on the tongue.
Method
-
1
Soaking the Mushrooms
Soak the dried shiitake in hot water for 30 minutes, squeeze them out, and slice them. Keep the soaking water, strain it from any sediment, and add it to the broth — this is the strongest umami source in the recipe.
-
2
Preparing the Ingredients
Cut everything into thin slices of the same length — the tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and chicken. This uniform shape isn't just for looks; it makes every spoonful balanced and easier to eat with a spoon.
-
3
Simmering the Broth
Heat the broth with the mushroom soaking water until boiling, then add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and chicken. Let it simmer for 8 minutes over low heat until the chicken is cooked.
-
4
Seasoning
Add the soy sauce, sugar, 3 tablespoons of vinegar, and a tablespoon of white pepper. Taste — you should feel the acidity first followed by heat in the throat. Reserve a tablespoon of vinegar and half a tablespoon of pepper for the end.
-
5
Thickening
Dissolve the cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of cold water, and pour it into the boiling soup while stirring constantly. It will thicken in 1 minute and become silky, coating the back of a spoon. Gently add the tofu.
-
6
Egg Ribbons
Lower the heat until the soup is gently simmering, and pour the beaten eggs in a very thin stream while stirring the soup in one direction with a spoon. The eggs will immediately turn into silky threads. Do not stir violently.
-
7
Finishing
Turn off the heat and add the remaining vinegar, remaining white pepper, and sesame oil. Vinegar and pepper lose their sharpness with heat, so adding them at the end gives the strongest impact. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.
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Tips that actually matter
- The heat comes from white pepper, not chili — this is the essence of the dish.
- Keep the mushroom soaking water; it is the strongest umami in the recipe.
- Lower the heat before pouring the eggs so the threads come out thin.
- Add half of the vinegar and pepper at the end after turning off the heat.
- Cut all ingredients into slices of the same length.
People also ask
Why white pepper instead of chili?
White pepper provides a deeper heat felt in the throat rather than a burn on the tongue, and its distinctive earthy flavor pairs with the acidity. This is what makes this soup different from any other hot soup — chili would completely change the dish.
The egg threads turn into clumps — why?
Either the soup was boiling violently, you poured the eggs too quickly, or you stirred too violently. Lower the heat, pour in a thin stream from a height, and stir gently in one direction. And the soup must be thickened first.
What is a substitute for black rice vinegar?
Balsamic vinegar diluted with white vinegar (1:1), or apple cider vinegar with a pinch of sugar. Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang) is deep, slightly salty, and less sweet than balsamic, and the mixture approximates the flavor.
Can it be completely vegetarian?
Yes, easily — use vegetable broth, omit the chicken, and increase the mushrooms and tofu. This soup is actually vegetarian in most Chinese versions, and the chicken is an optional addition. Shiitake soaking water provides the required depth.
Cook mode
Chinese Hot and Sour Soup with Mushrooms and Tofu
-
1
Soaking the Mushrooms
Soak the dried shiitake in hot water for 30 minutes, squeeze them out, and slice them. Keep the soaking water, strain it from any sediment, and add it to the broth — this is the strongest umami source in the recipe.
-
2
Preparing the Ingredients
Cut everything into thin slices of the same length — the tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and chicken. This uniform shape isn't just for looks; it makes every spoonful balanced and easier to eat with a spoon.
-
3
Simmering the Broth
Heat the broth with the mushroom soaking water until boiling, then add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and chicken. Let it simmer for 8 minutes over low heat until the chicken is cooked.
-
4
Seasoning
Add the soy sauce, sugar, 3 tablespoons of vinegar, and a tablespoon of white pepper. Taste — you should feel the acidity first followed by heat in the throat. Reserve a tablespoon of vinegar and half a tablespoon of pepper for the end.
-
5
Thickening
Dissolve the cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of cold water, and pour it into the boiling soup while stirring constantly. It will thicken in 1 minute and become silky, coating the back of a spoon. Gently add the tofu.
-
6
Egg Ribbons
Lower the heat until the soup is gently simmering, and pour the beaten eggs in a very thin stream while stirring the soup in one direction with a spoon. The eggs will immediately turn into silky threads. Do not stir violently.
-
7
Finishing
Turn off the heat and add the remaining vinegar, remaining white pepper, and sesame oil. Vinegar and pepper lose their sharpness with heat, so adding them at the end gives the strongest impact. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.
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