Hot and sour soup (酸辣湯) is a popular soup among Chinese restaurants in the states. Love soup? Check out these sweet corn carrot soup, tomato potato soup, kimchi tofu soup, miso soup, gobo root soup and dried bok choy soup recipes. This low calories, authentic and easy hot & sour soup recipe is a must try one! Besides, it is great to go with ham fried rice, orange chicken, kung pao chicken, sweet & sour pork, zucchini mushroom chicken and mapo tofu to make your Chinese dinner.
Love Asian food? Check out these ginger scallion crab, garlic chili shrimp, green Thai curry, wonton noodle soup, Chinese hot dog and lo mai gai recipes.
What is hot and sour soup (酸辣湯)?
Hot and sour soup (酸辣湯) is originated from northern part of China. Also, Sichuan hot and sour soup is well known for spicy, sour, salty and tasty.
Besides, hot and sour soup helps with digestion and increases appetite. Hence, when people don’t have much appetite, they will drink this soup. The taste of hot is from spicy chili pepper and sour from black vinegar.
When I was pregnant, I wasn’t feeling well because of the morning sickness. The only thing I craved was hot and sour soup!
What are the ingredients in hot and sour soup (酸辣湯)?
In general, authentic Chinese hot and sour soup usually contains wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and black dry Chinese mushrooms. Some like to add meat. However, I like this easy hot sour soup recipe without meat.
What is a wood ear?
Wood ear is a species of edible fungi or mushroom type. They are distinguished by its noticeably ear-like shape and brownish color. Moreover, it grows on wood. Therefore, it was named wood ear.
Not only wood ear fungus is a popular ingredient in many Chinese dishes, but also it has some health benefits such as anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anticoagulant and cholesterol lowering properties. Generally, wood ear fungus are in dry form and require soaking before using it.
Cooking tips for how to make easy homemade hot and sour soup:
- Wash and soak black Chinese mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms a few hours before. (Black Chinese mushrooms take a little longer. Normally, I will soak them before I go to bed, so I can use them in the morning or so.)
- Remember to add garlic chili sauce to your taste. I suggest adding ½ tablespoons at a time.
- I use firm tofu because it does not break easily when stirred.
FAQs:
Yes, you can refrigerate them for a few days.
It depends on your health and body because wood ear has some sort of anticoagulant better to consult with your doctor or just not add it.
Mix cornstarch and water in a small container. Then, pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup and continue to stir it. After that, the soup will slowly thicken.
Yes, you can. But, the taste is slightly different and you need to taste and adjust it.
This soup has only 104 calories per serving.
Instructions for how to make homemade authentic hot and sour soup:
Preparation:
- Wash and soak 3 medium sized black Chinese mushrooms for 4-6 hours before. (Black Chinese mushrooms take a little longer. Therefore, I will soak them before I go to bed, so I can use them in the morning or so.)
2. Then, wash and soak 12 small dried wood ear mushrooms for a couple hours. (Normally, I will soak them before I go to bed. So, I can use them in the morning or so.)
3. After that, cut soaked black Chinese mushrooms into small strips.
4. Next, cut the soaked wood ear fungus into small strips.
5. Cut 1 pieces of firm tofu into small strips.
6. A can of 8 oz bamboo shoots cut into small strips.
7. Cut 2 sticks of green onion.
Cooking:
8. Pour 4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water into a pot and turn on fire to medium-high.
9. Add the cut Chinese black mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms into the broth.
10. The following, add the bamboo shoots into the broth. Let it cook until it's boiling.
11. When it's boiling, add 1.5 tablespoons of garlic chili sauce, 2.5 tablespoons of black vinegar, ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Then, mix it well.
12. After, add the cut firm tofu strips.
13. At the same time, in a small container add 5 tablespoons of water and 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and mix it well.
14. When the soup boils again, add cornstarch mixture to thicken the soup a little bit.
15. Sprinkle some green onions on top. If you like, you can add white pepper and sesame oil. This is optional.
Enjoy this low calories, authentic and easy homemade hot & sour soup recipe! Also, check out these mango pomelo sago, black sesame soup, Chinese borscht soup, lotus roots pork soup, green radish carrot soup, watercress soup and dried bok choy soup recipes.
You May Also Like These Recipes:
- WONTON SOUP (雲吞湯)
- GINSENG CHICKEN SOUP (SAMGYETANG) 삼계탕 蔘鷄湯
- KIMCHI TOFU SOUP (SUNDUBU-JJIGAE)
- MISO SOUP
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Hot and Sour Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 small piece Firm Tofu
- 1 small can Bamboo shoots 8oz (cup up around ½ cup)
- 12 small Black dry wood ear mushrooms (cut up around ½ cup)
- 3 medium size Dry black Chinese mushrooms (cut up around ½ cup)
- 1.5 tablespoons Lee Kum Kee garlic chili sauce (add spicy to your taste)
- 2.5 tablespoons Black vinegar
- 4 cups Chicken broth
- 2 cups Water
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 2 sticks Green onion
- Sesame oil (optional some)
- White pepper (optional sprinkles to your taste )
THICKEN SOUP:
- 4 tablespoons Corn starch
- 5 tablespoons Water
Instructions
- Wash and soak 3 medium sized black Chinese mushrooms for 4-6 hours before. (Black Chinese mushrooms take a little longer. Therefore, I will soak them before I go to bed, so I can use them in the morning or so.)
- Then, wash and soak 12 small dried wood ear mushrooms for a couple hours. (Normally, I will soak them before I go to bed. So, I can use them in the morning or so.)
- After that, cut soaked black Chinese mushrooms into small strips.
- Next, cut the soaked wood ear fungus into small strips.
- Cut 1 pieces of firm tofu into small strips.
- A can of 8 oz bamboo shoots cut into small strips.
- Cut 2 sticks of green onion.
- Pour 4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water into a pot and turn on fire to medium-high.
- Add the cut Chinese black mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms into the broth.
- The following, add the bamboo shoots into the broth. Let it cook until it's boiling.
- When it's boiling, add 1.5 tablespoons of garlic chili sauce, 2.5 tablespoons of black vinegar, ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Then, mix it well.
- After, add the cut firm tofu strips.
- At the same time, in a small container add 5 tablespoons of water and 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and mix it well.
- When the soup boils again, add cornstarch mixture to thicken the soup a little bit.
- Sprinkle some green onions on top. If you like, you can add white pepper and sesame oil. This is optional.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make easy hot and sour soup:
- Wash and soak black Chinese mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms a few hours before. (Black Chinese mushrooms take a little longer. Normally, I will soak them before I go to bed, so I can use them in the morning or so.)
- Remember to add garlic chili sauce to your taste. I suggest adding ½ tablespoons at a time.
- I use firm tofu because it does not break easily when stirred.
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