I love starting a Chinese meal with a good hot and sour soup. This soup goes way back to my NYC days in the mid 80’s when I would pick up Chinese takeout on my way home from work. I didn’t eat it for a long time after having a bad MSG reaction when visiting my hometown in Massachusetts, however I always loved the flavor and textures.
I recently came across this handwritten recipe I had in a binder from my culinary days at Le Cordon Blue, but I’m not sure of the recipe’s origins. I remember making this recipe many years ago, however, I don’t remember specific likes/dislikes. Although, I would have remembered if it were bad. All I know I was craving some good hot and sour soup, and there are no local Chinese restaurants I know of that have good soup in Palm Springs.
By the way, unless you live near any Asian markets, you will likely have to order you dried mushrooms and lily buds from online resources, like I did.
I have to say, my timing for this soup couldn’t have been better, as I was feeling the flu-like side effects from my recent Covid booster shot. There must have been some significant therapeutic effects from the spice, mushrooms and the zesty vinegar, as just one bowl of this soup had be sweating it out and feeling almost back to normal. It gave meaning to the often used term “food is medicine.”
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
Ingredients
- 3 oz. dried black mushrooms or shiitake
- 1 oz. dried cloud ear mushroom/fungus
- 2 oz. golden needles (dried lily buds)
- 1 tbs. cornstarch
- 1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
- 8 oz. pork loin julienned
- 3/4 lb. firm bean curd/tofu small cubes
Flavor Mixture:
- 2 1/2 – 3 quarts chicken stock
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 oz. rice wine
- 2 tsp finely ground black pepper
- 2 tsp chili oil
- 4 tbs. cornstarch (dissolved in cold water or stock
- salt/pepper to taste
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3 scallion sliced
Directions
- Soak dried vegetables in hot water for at least 30 minutes or more.
- Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth, reserving the liquid.
- Remove/discard stems from mushroom and julienne caps. Slice cloud into strips and cut lily buds in half
- Combine 1 tbs cornstarch and rice vinegar in a mixing bowl. Add pork strips and toss to coat the meat evenly. Cover bowl and reserve.
- In a soup pot, bring chicken stock, reserved mushroom broth and sesame oil to a boil.
- Add pork and cook 1 minute.
- Add soaked vegetables, diced bean curd and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Lower heat to a simmer, add vinegar, 1 tsp of chili oil, black pepper and cornstarch mixture that has been combined with water or stock, mixing thoroughly until thickened.
- Adjust seasoning with any additional chili oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Add beaten eggs in a slow stream, stirring with a large tined fork.
- Garnish with sliced scallions and add more vinegar or chili oil if you like it extra zesty and spicy.
- If soup seems too thick, adjust consistency by adding more stock.
Note: If you end up with leftovers, you will likely have to add more stock/broth the next day, as the mushrooms continue to soak up the liquid.
