Hot and Sour Soup


Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free

Meal Type
Dinner
Cuisine
Chinese
Author
The Kale Sandwich Show
Serves
4
Preparation Time
15 minutes
Cooking Time
10 minutes

Ingredients

Produce

  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup bamboo shoots (if using)
  • 3 dried shitake mushrooms
  • 3-4 dried wood ear/ tree ear mushrooms
  • 100 gr medium or firm tofu (we used firm fried tofu, you can use any type you prefer)
  • 5-6 mushrooms of your choice (cremini, portabello, button)
  • 1/3 cup dry corn starch stick noodles (rice vermicelli)

Seasoning

  • 3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce/ tamari
  • 2 tbsp vinegar of your choice (we used 1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar because we like the flavour combination, but feel free to use your favourite type of vinegar)

Thickener

  • 1 tbsp thickening starch
  • 2 tbsp water (tapioca, cornstarch, potato starch)

Additives

  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • salt to taste depending on how much sodium is in the broth
  • sliced green onions or shallots to garnish

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Soak shitake and wood ear mushrooms in hot water for 10 minutes and drain.
  2. Soak corn starch sticks in hot water for 10 minutes and drain.
  3. Slice all the mushrooms into thin pieces.
  4. Julienne tofu and bamboo shoots (if using).

Cooking

  1. In a pot on medium high heat, fry mushrooms for 4-5 mins.
  2. Add soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and ground pepper and mix.
  3. Pour in vegetable stock and add tofu, bamboo shoots and noodles.
  4. Once soup has come to a boil, slowly add starch mixture until soup thickens to desired consistency.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil.
  6. Garnish with green onions and cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes

  • I make this soup a lot because it is low on calories, warm, comforting, it stores well in the fridge and i love vinegar. If you do not find these things appealing I suggest the egg drop soup instead :)
  • I frequently fail to add the bamboo shoots simply because I forget to buy them in the first place, while I am certain they are a lovely addition to the soup, I assure you it is great without them.
  • Cornstarch noodles have proved hard to find here in Australia, I use a single serve of rice vermicelli noodles per batch, they work really well.
  • Dried black fungus as it is sold, or the dried wood ear mushroom is slightly gelatinous and chewy in texture, if you do not like them, omit them, if you are serving this to guests, slice them thinly :)
  • Feel free to soak your dried ingredients for as long as you like, there is no harm in using the ones you re-hydrated for that risotto you never made, just remember to strain the water if you want to keep it by pouring it through a piece of paper kitchen towel, there are usually dusty bits of crud on the mushrooms that can ruin the silky smooth soup experience...
  • Tofu - use whatever you have, I often use the pre-fried tofu puffs that live in my freezer for hot pots and noodle soups...
  • Recipe is easily gluten free, just check your stock powder, noodles and remember to use tamari rather than soy sauce.