Hot and Sour Soup

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Hot and Sour Soup

Yield 4-6 servings

On a cold weekend evening, this hot and sour soup is nourishing and jam packed with protein. It takes extra time, but this powerhouse will help fortify your body and immune system.

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons soy sauce, divided
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 3 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons corn starch, divided
  • 6 to 8 oz. boneless pork loin, cut into 2-inch matchsticks*
  • 3 Tablespoons + 1 additional teaspoon cold water, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 cups bone broth or chicken or vegetable stock
  • 5 oz. bamboo shoots, sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ¾ oz. dried shiitake mushrooms**
  • 7 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained*** then cut into matchsticks
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce of spicy chili crisp
  • ½ bunch green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Toss in the pork matchsticks and set aside for at least 10 to 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of cold water. In another small bowl, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of water, add the egg, and beat with a fork until fully combined. Set both bowls aside.

In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the dried shiitake mushrooms and simmer for about 15 minutes until tender. Remove the mushrooms, slice thinly, and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the bamboo shoots and mushrooms to the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes until the bamboo shoots are just tender.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated pork (reserve the marinade) and cook, stirring until no longer pink. Add the sliced mushrooms and bamboo shoots, tossing until the edges of the pork turn crispy. Pour the reserved marinade into the skillet and toss for an additional minute. Transfer everything to the simmering stock. Add tofu, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sriracha, white pepper, and remaining soy sauce.

Stir the cornstarch-water mixture to recombine, then add it to the soup. Increase the heat to medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the soup becomes silky and thickened.

Without stirring, slowly drizzle the egg mixture in thin streams into the simmering soup. Let it sit for 1 minute to allow the egg to set. Gently stir the soup once to evenly distribute the egg. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with sliced green onions.

Notes

* To make slicing the pork easier, freeze it for 15 minutes.

**To use fresh mushrooms instead of dried, omit the simmering and just add to the broth.

***Place a large colander on a plate or shallow bowl. Put the tofu in the colander and set a heavy plate on top so it's resting on the tofu. Weigh it down with a few cans and let it stand for at least 15 minutes. Tofu should release about ½ cup of liquid.