Recipe Name: Hot and Sour Soup
Story: I have made this recipe since I have been right next to an asian market and have access to allllllll the mushrooms.
Years you've been making it: Since 2019
Submitted by: Bradley
Ingredients:
1/2 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (about 6)
1/2 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms (about 3)
2 cups warm water, plus 4 cups cool water
8 ounces boneless pork loin, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine; may substitute dry sherry)
3 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 1/4 cup water, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons Chinkiang black vinegar (see headnote), or more as needed
2 teaspoons chile oil, plus more for optional garnish
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
10 thin slices fresh ginger
2 tablespoons regular or low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained and cut into matchsticks
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions:
Step 1
Gently rinse the dried shiitake and dried wood ear mushrooms with tap water. In a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in the 2 cups warm water until softened, about 20 minutes. Squeeze the excess water out of the mushrooms and reserve the water. (Strain the mushroom water through a fine-mesh strainer if it looks too gritty.) Discard the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice the caps into strips. Discard the tough ends of the wood ear mushrooms before chopping into bite-size pieces.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, combine the pork, Shaoxing wine, 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix until the pork is evenly coated, and let it marinate on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3
In a small bowl, stir together the black vinegar, chile oil and pepper.
Step 4
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the mushroom water, 4 cups cool water and sliced ginger and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then, using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the ginger. Add the soy sauce, followed by the rehydrated mushrooms and bamboo shoots, and simmer for 5 minutes. Give the cornstarch mixture a quick stir to recombine and gradually stir into the soup. The soup will become slightly thickened.
Step 5
Add the pork, including the marinade, to the soup, stirring to separate any pieces that stick together. Continue to simmer until the pork is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Carefully add the tofu, so the broth does not splash. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
Step 6
Slowly pour the eggs into the soup in a steady stream while stirring continuously with a long spoon or chopstick. The eggs should cook immediately and look like long yellowish-white strands. Turn off the heat once you see the strands, so the eggs do not overcook, and stir in the black vinegar mixture.
Serve hot, garnished with scallions and additional chile oil, if desired.
Notes:
There are two ingredients that help make hot and sour what it is. The hot comes courtesy of ground white pepper. It’s from the same source as black pepper, but the berries are allowed to ripen before their skins are removed. The result is technically less spicy, but more complex and floral. The other key ingredient represents the sour: Chinkiang black vinegar. The vinegar is actually made from glutinous rice, and the dark color comes naturally from scorched rice grains. Dried mushrooms play a strong supporting role, lending heft to the final dish and a savory, umami-rich undertone to the broth. The two types called for here are dried shiitake, available at many supermarkets, and wood ear, which you might as well pick up from the Asian market when you get the black vinegar. If you can’t find wood ear (it may be labeled as black fungus), just use all shiitake.
